National Library Lovers Month: Bedford Public Library

by Kalleen Marquise on Feb 25, 2021

We're celebrating National Library Lovers Month by celebrating positive stories from our library partners.

Mary Woodward, of Bedford Public Library, shared how they overcame some of the challenges of 2020 to serve their community:

The Bedford Library, like most libraries in 2020, confronted unimaginable challenges as the world changed in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic. Within a few short weeks, normal library operations came to a screeching halt. On March 16, the Bedford Public Library building closed to the public while our drive-thru remained open. Patrons were able to place holds on materials and pick them up at our drive-thru window. The drive-thru became an instant success.

Unfortunately, on March 26 the Library was forced to close the drive-thru as well. Half of our staff was furloughed and the remaining alternated between working remotely and at the Library. Morale was very low. Because we had to close so suddenly, many patrons had items on hold that they were unable to pick up.

Our Library Director, Maria Redburn, had the idea to begin delivery service to our Bedford residents. From April 8 - May 7 Library staff delivered books to our Bedford patrons at their homes. Not only did our patrons love this service, but it also boosted staff morale as staff received air hugs, smiles, and positive posts on social media:
"My library is better than yours! I had a book on hold since before it was released. I even preordered it on Amazon since the library is closed until further notice...well the library called today and asked if they could deliver my book on hold to me! How cool is that?!"

Share your own library story by emailing outreach@bywatersolutions.com and we'll share!