Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. King Public Library

For our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, we spoke with Ann Nichols, Branch Manager of the King Public Library.

King Public Library

“Our library has always kept hand sanitizer available at the circulation desk for our staff and patrons. Little did we know how important of a role this safety measure would play in keeping our patrons safe during the 2020 COVID-19 Pandemic.”- Ann Nichols

How has COVID19 affected the King Public Library?

When I walked out the library doors on March 27th, I sat in my car, and shook my head in denial. I never had imagined that the library doors would be closed to the public.  It had been a trying day. I was proud of my staff that day, as we all worked together to provide curbside service to our patrons, while continually cleaning the building, and getting the word out about our many online services. I knew that at some point all libraries in our Northwestern Regional Library System would have to close, so I had been busy providing the staff with work from home tasks, online trainings, and other assignments. We had publicized on our Facebook page for patrons to stock up on books and other materials, just in case.

Everything we were hearing on several news outlets seemed to indicate the elderly were the most vulnerable in our population. The library staff know our senior patrons well. We all were worried for them, wanting to make certain they checked out the books, DVDs, or puzzles they needed to pass the time while we waited out the virus.
Gretchen Parker, Assistant Branch Manager, reading to children at King Elementary School

We tried to be positive and upbeat, but inside we were like everyone else, concerned for our families, our patrons, and for each other.  All of our staff can assist patrons with using their tech devices to check out eBooks from OverDrive, our eBook and audio platform on our NWRL.org website, but our patron’s favorite tech guru is Gretchen Parker, the Assistant Branch Manager at the King Public Library. She has an easy manner and a great smile that makes you feel as though it is as simple as sliding a hot knife through butter. Gretchen had been on the phone almost nonstop during the last few weeks, assisting our patrons with checking out eBooks, or learning how to do it from scratch.

Books that were taken out of circulation and provided for the Free Book Event that was on April 22nd, 2020.
We usually save the books for the Friends of the Library’s book sale, but I felt these books needed new homes right away.  We decided the withdrawn books would be placed on carts outside the building.
We would offer the books freely to our patrons.  We shared a post on the library’s Facebook and Twitter pages, and within minutes, people were stopping by to select titles.  Each person looked so excited.
You would have thought it was Christmas!  I remember telling the staff it was the first time I had smiled in days.  Smiles are contagious, we all were smiling, the staff and our patrons outside enjoying this special treat.

Can you talk about the services offered online by King Public Library?

During work from home, the staff engaged our patrons online. Programming Assistant Melody Johnson and Gretchen Parker provided online preschool Storytime programs.  Melody’s reading of Peep, Peep, Moo! By Doreen Cronin received a shoutout of praise from the State Library of North Carolina, and Mouse’s First Spring by Lauren Thompson, became a new favorite with many youngsters.  Programming Assistant Cara Hiatt’s May Flowers Photo Contest with 125 entries .  Poems and poem readings were posted during April’s National Poetry Month celebration, Bingo games, an interview with local author, Paula May, and much more has been shared with our patrons near and far from the video link at our nwrl.org website and on the library’s Facebook page.

King Public Library celebrated National Library Week with a livestream from local author Paula May.

Virtual programs, which we had seen as a future need, were suddenly thrust upon library staff members all over the United States.  The King Public Library staff were as prepared as we possibly could be, with an abundant amount of online training and webinars, shared all over the county.

We were learning everything we could in order to improve services to the public and working to keep our patrons engaged at home.  And with this, a new reality came into place; this will now be the platform on which our 2020 Summer Reading program will on take place.  It was quite a shock to realize that in-person programming would not be feasible.

The safety and welfare of our patrons always takes priority.

So, as a branch and as a Region, we are developing programs that can be posted virtually on our social media sites, and on our Northwestern Regional homepage.

Our thirteen branches in Alleghany, Stokes, Surry, and Yadkin Counties are working together to set up an array of programs that can be shared among all library patrons.  Presenters are being contacted while we all work together to change to a virtual/streaming environment. Big crowd pleasers like Mad Science, Science Tellers, and the NC Zoo are among many that are changing the way they provide programs to our libraries.

Programming staff are still working with possible presenters for all age groups to provide an enriching and entertaining summer for everyone.

Moving forward after COVID19 what sort of programs will be available for adults at King Public Library?

The library anticipates a great need from our newly unemployed population. The Job Lab that the library and Forsyth Tech partner on together, located inside the King Public Library, is eager to help people with preparing resumes, filing online applications, providing unemployment filing assistance, and much more.

Free computer access is available at King Public Library.

Lynn Owens and Cinda Amen, our HRD instructors in the lab prepared a training webinar for all staff members of the NWRL

FTCC has increased the lab hours at the King Public Library from twelve hours a week, to sixteen hours per week. 

HRD instructors Lynn Owens and Cinda Amen are ready to help as many individuals as they can when the library is able to open its doors.  In order to do this safely, assistance will be made by appointment only.  This will be possible by calling the King Public Library at (336) 983-3868 or by emailing us at kin@nwrl.org, when the library reopens.

What would you like to share with residents who use the King Public Library?

“The most important thing I can share with our patrons is how much we miss them and wish to meet their needs. We realize the library and its services are especially important to our community. You are never too old or too young to learn, or to enjoy the wonder of a book.  The library provides that opportunity and much more. The library provides a place of learning, connecting, reading for the joy of it, a refuge from difficult times, a place to start over when seeking a different career path, and a place to come together with purpose. The staff and I feel as though we are out of our element without our patrons.  We look forward to serving them again safely and enthusiastically.”

Ann Nichols, Branch Manager King Public Library

You can reach the King Public Library on their Facebook page, via phone 336-983-3868 or by e-mail at kin@nwrl.org


Read our other entries in Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact here.

Stokes: Stay Home. Stay Safe. Save Lives. NWRL

We continue our series of Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact, with Joan Sherif from Northwest Regional Library.

The NWRL has branches in Danbury, Walnut Cove and King and are currently closed, but offer a wide variety of options to residents to advance knowledge, strengthen our communities and inspire diversity.

 To read our story about the Walnut Cove Public Library click here.

To read our story about the King Public Library click here. 

To read our story about the Danbury Public Library click here.

How has COVID19 affected the NWRL?

With the Governor’s announcement in March, we closed all libraries to the public and provided curbside service until April 1 when we had to discontinue it. It was very popular, and it was very hard for the staff to stop serving the public in person which is our goal. We were very fortunate that the Regional Board approved all staff working from home.

At first, it was almost surreal since we were closing our doors to the public and that has always been the opposite of what we try to do.  After the initial shock wore off, the staff swung into action.  We began virtual communication with all libraries (Stokes, Surry, Alleghany, and Yadkin) which has been a lifeline for us to stay in touch.  We are using Google Classroom and Meet.  We formed three teams on priority issues to get input from all staff and further collaborate. The teams meet weekly, and there is good discussion and some good outcomes.

 

Since the initial closing, staff has worked from home with catch up work, continuing education, and re-inventing how library services are delivered.  It did not take long for staff to jump on many webinars that will help all staff do an even better job now and in the future.  We have transformed all services online and now provide even more virtual services than ever.

These services are available on www.nwrl.org

We added new tabs to our website (www.nwrl.org) to include information on CO-VID 19, employment resources, and remote services.

Anyone with checked out materials was asked to hold onto books, DVD’s, and audiobooks until we re-open with no overdue fines.

People can now get a temporary card online as well.

Our staff stepped up to the challenge. Although we had some virtual programs before, the staff has taken hold of the possibilities and are offering online storytimes, readings from Harry Potter,  fairy tales, celebration of Earth Day, book talks, and much more.

And, I think that we have just begun! The response has been excellent with many comments about how people are not only enjoying seeing their library workers but also enjoying the programs.

Free learning resources available on www.nwrl.org.

Since not everyone has wifi at home, we are encouraging folks to use the outside wifi from library parking lots.  We have seen an increase of usage and are glad to provide the service especially now.

The staff have been great and risen to the occasion. I think that we all have learned so much about ourselves and our communities that will be continued after we are able to open up fully to the public.

How will NWRL continue these services for Stokes residents?

We have all become aware of how we can develop remote and virtual services to a greater extent.  Staff are building on what they know about online services (including NC LIVE databases and NC Kids Digital) and learning more at an exponential rate!  It seems like everyday there is a new find, and talent is emerging!

These free learning resources are available at www.nwrl.org

Please visit www.nwrl.org and check out the Virtual Programs.

We have discussed more online services as well as asynchronous ones such as story walks and scavenger hunts that kids can do with their families or each other and get outdoors.

These services and others will become part of what NWRL libraries do.

Can you share anything positive from this situation we are all facing?

I think that we all agree that there have been many positives from the CO-VID19 crisis.  Although it is a hard and scary time for all of us, I think that we have all found a new resilience and hope for the future. 

Our staff is working even more closely together and supporting each other even more.  We realize that we all are in this together with our communities and truly believe that we will be stronger and better at the other end of it.

We know that many services that have started will be regular parts of library services.  We have learned much about ourselves, each other, and our organization.  Although we are planning for (and very much looking forward) to the day when we can reopen to the public, we know that we are stronger and better and have learned some very valuable lessons about ourselves and our communities.  We are even more aware of the importance of the essential value of our libraries to each community.

Not only are libraries a place for books, Audio/visual, information, and programs but also they are places for human connection.
In a survey that is posted on the website about what people miss most about their libraries and services that they would like to see, we are seeing that people often say that they miss the staff. 

Library workers are community helpers and although the way we are helping has changed since the beginning of the stay at home order, we are continuing on a different level that we will continue as we grow and change.  The library is online and in person.

-Joan Sherif, Northwestern Regional Library

Information regarding the Northwestern Regional Library can be found online here


 

Read our other entries in Local People, Local Stories, Local Impact here.