Librarians To The Rescue: Staffing Call Centers, Distributing COVID Tests, Providing Wi-Fi

VIRGINIA — This year and throughout the coronavirus pandemic, many northern Virginia residents have been forced to adapt to new responsibilities in circumstances beyond their control. Across the region, local libraries have been at the forefront of adaptability and community service.

In many jurisdictions, libraries shuttered their doors at the onset of the pandemic. Since March 2020, libraries have adjusted and employees have operated COVID-19 call centers, provided at-home test kits, provided free mobile Wi-Fi hotspots, and offered curbside pick-up for traditional library services like book distribution.

Rebecca Lowe is a senior library manager in Prince William County. In January 2021, her library staff was asked to help operate a call center for residents with questions about the COVID-19 vaccines. For the time being, her job as a library manager also required her to be an in-person call center supervisor.

"I had to train library staff quickly so that we could start offering services as quickly as possible," Lowe told Patch. "Being a supervisor and only branch manager as a call center supervisor, I had to stay in constant contact with the library deputy director, senior emergency management specialist, and other library call center supervisors."

John Hood, another library supervisor in Prince William County, said his staff's flexibility was a running theme.

"'Pivot' was the word of the year," Hood said. "Whether we were pivoting from working in our libraries to exclusively teleworking while providing the same level of service; pivoting to offer completely virtual programming; or pivoting when many of our staff were reassigned to support the COVID-19 vaccine call center."

Hood, like Lowe, had to help train staff in new areas. However, he said library employees were able to fall back on the customer service skills they already had, and didn't mind the challenge.

"It was challenging at first because the transition was so sudden and there was no roadmap for how to perform our jobs during a pandemic," Hood said. "Our staff really took the challenge head-on with flexibility and creativity I’ve never seen before — it was impressive."

Both Lowe and Hood described their work with the COVID-19 vaccine call center as rewarding. Though their work had always been public-facing, the significance of helping residents find vaccines was unique.

Read more: Free At-Home COVID-19 Tests Come To Prince William Libraries

"Doing this line of work was one of the most rewarding experiences because I felt as if we were able to help our community in a way that we never have before," Lowe said. "We all had experience helping the community over the phone and helping diffuse confusion they may experience, but we had never worked with other county agencies on a project so large."

Hood shared similar experiences, and noted pride in the important work that he and other library staff members undertook.

"The work could be daunting knowing how people were relying on us to help schedule their vaccine appointments, but also rewarding," Hood said. "Staff not only adapted, but excelled."

Read more: Vaccine Call Centers Staffed By Library Workers In Prince William

Around the northern Virginia region, libraries also became a vital resource for those who acquired a newfound need for internet access, as many schools and businesses pivoted to virtual offerings. In Prince William County, mobile Wi-Fi hotspots were distributed hundreds of times to residents who needed internet access.

Loudoun County undertook a similar project during the pandemic. There, officials expanded the range of their libraries' internet signals, so residents could access a library's Wi-Fi network from the parking lot.

Read more: WiFi Hot Spots Set Up In Library Parking Lots In Western Loudoun

Even when vaccination rates rose and demand for appointments began to decline, libraries in Virginia found new ways to support their communities. Through partnerships with public health officials, libraries from Fredericksburg to Washington, D.C., became a resource for COVID-19 testing.

In November, the Virginia Department of Health launched the Supporting Testing Access through Community Collaboration program. Through the program, the VDH provides free at-home COVID-19 tests to participating library systems for distribution to their residents.

Now, 38 library systems throughout the state participate in the program. Participating systems in northern Virginia include the Alexandria Public Library, the Arlington Public Library, the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Fredericksburg, and the Fairfax County Public Library.

Jessica Hudson is the director of Fairfax County Public Libraries. "Libraries are trusted community hubs, and we are pleased to support public health initiatives like this partnership with the Virginia Department of Health," she said when the program was announced in November.

Since the Supporting Testing Access through Community Collaboration program began in the fall, the northern Virginia region has seen a surge in demand for COVID-19 tests, spurred by the delta and omicron variants of the coronavirus.

In Fairfax, Arlington, and the Fredericksburg area, libraries ran out of at-home COVID-19 tests due to high demand during the month of December. On Dec. 3, the Fairfax County library system restocked their locations with 2,300 tests. They distributed all of them within an hour of restocking.

Read more: Free COVID Test Kits Out At Fairfax County Libraries, More Coming

On Thursday, Dec. 30, Arlington Public Library distributed a total of 2,000 COVID-19 tests to their location. They exhausted their supply of tests in 30 minutes.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic wasn't the only obstacle thrown at librarians in 2021. In the latter half of the year, school libraries were the subject of controversy related to books that included same-sex relationships.

In September, Fairfax County Public Schools suspended circulation of two books with LGBTQIA representation after an outcry from parents, who claimed that the books were pornographic and pedophilic in nature. The books, Maia Kobabe's "Gender Queer" and Jonathan Evison's "Lawn Boy," do not contain depictions of pedophilia, despite what some speakers noted at school board meetings. The books were later returned to school shelves.

Read more: LGBTQ+ Books Allowed To Return To Fairfax County High Schools

In Spotsylvania County, two school board members advocated burning books they believed featured inappropriate material. The book "33 Snowfish" features three homeless teenagers escaping sexual abuse, prostitution and addiction. The Spotsylvania County School board voted 6-0 in favor of removing sexually explicit or violence-related books.

The Virginia Library Association and the Virginia Association of School Librarians was disappointed by the anger that parents and school board members directed toward books, considering it an attack on intellectual freedom.

"As supporters of the intellectual freedom of all people — including students — we are surprised at the vitriol pointed at these titles by some members of your board," the Virginia Library Association wrote in a letter sent to the Spotsylvania County School Board.

School libraries across Virginia saw several challenges from school boards about the books on their shelves, especially relating to books featuring LGBTQ or topics of race. "They're coming at us at an unprecedented rate now," Virginia Library Association Executive Director Lisa Varga told Patch about the level of book removals in November. "We're here to protect the First Amendment rights of students and the public."

Despite a truly unprecedented year, library staff said they felt more connected to their community than ever before.

"The community has been so grateful for PWPL continuing services throughout the pandemic," Rebecca Lowe said. "They were very excited when we were able to safely open our doors again."

John Hood expressed similar sentiments.

"The community made it extremely clear that they value library services and consider it an essential part of their lives during the pandemic," Hood said. "While many of them expressed how much they missed visiting the physical buildings at the beginning of the pandemic, many also expressed how valuable the Digital Library was for learning and entertainment. Since March 2020, we have received many warm and encouraging responses from the public."