Last Memorial Day, a tornado swept through our city and caused significant damage to our library\u2014the only building in our single-branch system. While staff can still work inside, most of the building remains closed to the public. Faced with major disruption, our team acted quickly and creatively to ensure continued access to vital library services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We pulled together to develop alternative ways for patrons to connect with materials and programs. Our circulation team transformed the library lobby\u2014one of the less-damaged areas\u2014into a \u201cmini library\u201d with a rotating selection of materials for browsing. They also introduced an outdoor book kiosk for convenient hold pickups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019ve made use of tools and programs that were already in place. One example is our \u201cFun with Reading Kits,\u201d which allow families to request books tailored to their child\u2019s age and interests. Children\u2019s librarians then fill tote bags to the brim with books and media materials, offering a personalized experience even when browsing isn\u2019t possible. We also have grab-and-go craft kits\u2014another popular option from the pandemic\u2014which are available in the lobby for families to take home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the tornado struck just before summer, we had to quickly pivot our programming to other city spaces, including the historical museum and a park multi-use building. This school year, we\u2019ve returned to using the library\u2019s community room, where the children\u2019s department now hosts twelve weekly programs and several special events each month\u2014despite the continued closure of a majority of the building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The repair process is beyond my control, and while the ongoing delays have been frustrating for both staff and patrons, we\u2019ve made the intentional choice to focus on what is<\/em> within our reach. Rather than dwell on limitations, we\u2019ve dedicated our energy to what we can<\/em> do: continuing to serve the community with the tools and spaces available to us. That means supporting staff, fostering clear communication, and maintaining a strong sense of purpose. Despite the setback we\u2019re providing consistent, meaningful services that keep us rooted in our community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Library leaders everywhere understand that there will always be unknowns. The disruptions may look different but the core challenge is the same: how do we lead when the way forward isn\u2019t clear? Good planning helps, but strong leadership often means staying steady in the moment. It means listening, making clear decisions, and focusing on where we\u2019re able to make an impact. We won\u2019t always have the answers, but we can stay grounded in our mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our work with children\u2019s library services, we know flexibility isn\u2019t optional\u2014it\u2019s part of the job. I\u2019d love to hear how others have led their teams through tough moments. What helped you move forward? What lessons have stayed with you? Sharing our stories helps us learn and reminds us we\u2019re not in this alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Emily Snodgrass is the Assistant Children’s Director at Rogers Public Library in Rogers, Arkansas and is a member of the Managing Children’s Services Commitee<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Last Memorial Day, a tornado swept through our city and caused significant damage to our library\u2014the only building in our single-branch system. While staff can still work inside, most of the building remains closed to the public. Faced with major disruption, our team acted quickly and creatively to ensure continued access to vital library services. We pulled together to develop alternative ways for patrons to connect with materials and programs. Our circulation team transformed the library lobby\u2014one of the less-damaged areas\u2014into a \u201cmini library\u201d with a rotating selection of materials for browsing. They also introduced an outdoor book kiosk for convenient hold pickups. We\u2019ve made use of tools and programs that were already in place. One example is our \u201cFun with Reading Kits,\u201d which allow families to request books tailored to their child\u2019s age and interests. Children\u2019s librarians then fill tote bags to the brim with books and media materials,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":226,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":"","_members_access_role":[],"_members_access_error":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33054","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33054","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/226"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33054"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33054\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33054"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=33054"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.alsc.ala.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=33054"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}