Public libraries have certainly seen challenges over the past year. We have been called on to limit in-person services and programs for the fear and uncertainty surrounding the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and, like many others, we have had to navigate the constraints upon our finances due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
At the very core of all of our public libraries are tow values: place and community. The library is a safe place where children marvel at all that is available to them, seniors enjoy companionship over book clubs and coffee times, students find the help they need to excel, and neighbors learn new skills requisite for a promotion. The best part about a public library is that it belongs to all of us. With One County . One Card, those values don't change, they are shared. Our library community gets a little bigger, and the opportunities that come through collaboration are much more abundant. We have seen success with new partnerships, and we have responded to tremendous demand for digital services. We also know there is a need for new libraries and access points and have heard concerns when local libraries are facing closure. Everyone is welcome at the library; you might even see little street signs pointing the way.
It has been a difficult year to plan for. Our libraries depend on cooperative services, and finances are always precarious at best. We saw the difficulties for cooperative library services and we asked for help. The library community responded with a 105% increase in donations and a 414% increase in grants. This is not hyperbole, we have the greatest library community in Alabama.
Is it sunrise or sunset? We have overcome challenges, and there will be more Here's what we do know: we operated by our core values, One County . One Card and library partnerships work, and we have you, the greatest library supporters in Alabama. It's going to be a bright day. Our doors are open. See you soon!
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