To: Board of Calvert County Commissioners
From: Carolyn McHugh, President, Calvert Library Board of Trustees
Re: Closed but working
Date: March 27, 2020
Dear Board of County Commissioners and Calvert Community,
On behalf of the Board of Library Trustees, I want to take this opportunity to highlight the excellent work and dedication of Calvert Library’s exemplary staff. Even though Governor Hogan has ordered buildings like the library closed to the public, the Calvert Board of Library Trustees-- the governing body of the library-- took a different management and leadership approach and asked the Calvert Library staff to find ways to continue to serve the community. At the Trustees’ request, while many organizations are paying staff to hunker down and ride out this crisis, the Calvert Library staff are doing an admirable job of working remotely to support the community in this time of need.
· The Library has adapted its phone system to take messages via our main line at 410-535-0291 for information/research questions. Staff are checking it regularly and responding to community questions.
· Librarians are responding to getanswers@calvertlibrary.info email regularly to answer all variety of questions.
· Online programming is being developed to entertain, educate and connect customers to information and one another. These classes and events will begin Monday, March 30.
· Librarians are helping community organizations and non-profits look for grants and other relief.
· Our social media posts, enewsletters and website continue to provide resources that customers are asking for such as:
o How to educate children at home
o How to not feel isolated during isolation
o Trustworthy sources for information about COVID-19
o How to apply for unemployment during this period
o What resources are available for small businesses impacted by this crisis
· Staff are reaching out directly to partners, community organizations and businesses to offer information help, training resources for telecommuting and more.
· The Executive Director has shifted funds from print collections into digital online collections with additional financial support from the Southern Maryland Regional Library Association. This will enable Calvert citizens have free access to more downloadable and streaming materials from home.
· All of the library’s hotspots are currently checked out and librarians are asking customers who don’t need them for students or telework to return them for redistribution during this crisis.
· Monthly limits on Hoopla and Kanopy (digital ebooks, audiobooks, movies and TV shows) from six to eight items per library card per month.
· Library cards are available from CalvertLibrary.info without customers needing to visit a physical branch.
As indicated by the many activities mentioned above, the Calvert Library staff is passionate about serving our community and they have responded to the Trustees’ requests to continue to do so with alacrity and enthusiasm. The Board of Library Trustees is proud of the Calvert library staff and we would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the work they are already doing and the work they continue to do as they actively partner with government and local organizations to get everyone through this challenging time and beyond.
Sincerely,
Carolyn McHugh, President
Board of Library Trustees, Calvert Library
Robyn Truslow
Public Relations Coordinator
Calvert Library
850 Costley Way
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
410-535-0291
410-535-3022 (fax)
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