When COVID-19 shuttered businesses, schools, and public spaces in March 2020, we knew little about the virus and how long it would last. But even in the absence of answers, library workers did what they do best: shared information, pivoted programs and services, and tried to plug noticeable equity gaps.
Three years on, which early-pandemic adaptations have stuck around? Which trends went by the wayside? American Libraries asked public, academic, school, and special librarians to reflect on how COVID-19 changed their work in the short and long term, and what these innovations taught them about their workplaces and users.
Curbside service is here to stay
Perhaps no institution has been associated with curbside pickup more than Harris County (Tex.) Public Library (HCPL), the system that gave us Curbside Larry, a used car salesman–type character (played…
