Being declared non-essential was one of the most difficult parts of the pandemic for Jefferson County librarians Carly Delsigne and Jodi Smiley.
For those 12 days last spring, when Montana was first dealing with the arrival of COVID-19 to the state, Delsigne and Smiley still went to work, as they are government employees, but the doors were firmly closed to the public.
“I think that was the worst part. You would hear people knocking on the door and you couldn’t let them in. It was horrible,” said Smiley, who is the Director at the Boulder Community Library.
At the Clancy Library, Delsigne said people could see them working inside and would knock on the windows.
While the state ordered lock-downs on a variety of business types, the non-essential label came from the Jefferson County Commission and after some persuasion, that restriction was lifted.
The Boulder Monitor is highlighting those who have been on the front lines of the pandemic since it arrived in Montana, now nearly a year ago. In addition to librarians, they are grocery clerks, postal workers, school support staff and more.
This week, the Monitor talks to librarians, who, faced with a daunting list of restrictions and guidelines, have continued to find creative ways to adjust to life with COVID-19 while still providing services to their patrons.
And it seems the need for the library has only increased as the pandemic continues to grind on for nearly a year, said Clancy Library Board member Jane Hamman.
While actual physical attendance at the Clancy Library has dropped due to COVID-19 restrictions, digital storytime views have more than doubled, along with Wifi use, according to statistics provided by Delsigne. Digital circulation is also up, as are tech help sessions.
And despite the pandemic, “We’ve done nearly the same business in physical books as in the last year,” said Delsigne.
Delsigne, who is the director of the North Jefferson Public Library District, said she spent a good deal of time on the phone helping folks navigate the different platforms being used for remote learning, as well as helping people apply for jobs and do their banking through the library’s secure Wifi outlet.
The Boulder Library began working with the SCL Health Medical Group to provide a telehealth port so that older residents can attend to their health care needs without having to leave town, said Smiley, adding that the service was aided by the state library system and CARES Act funding.
Smiley, who had pulled a computer terminal into the lobby when the pandemic began to help people apply for unemployment during the closure, said the library continues to help folks apply for various benefits. To assist with that effort, the library obtained hot spots and Chromebooks that patrons can check out so they can do the work at home.
The Clancy Library also has hot spots and two Chromebooks that can be checked out, said Delsigne.
The librarians also found ways to continue offering programs such as crafts and story times.
MC Pancich in Clancy regularly broadcasts story time on Facebook, as well as video crafting sessions. The story times get about 100 views each.
The regular story time families have remained with the program throughout the pandemic, and new ones have joined on, said Delsigne.
In a typical year, about 300 children participate in the Clancy Library’s summer reading program. Last year, as the pandemic was underway, that number dropped to 158 — but for those that did participate, they said it was the highlight of their summer, said Delsigne.
“We had a record breaking 67% of participants complete all 40 hours and all 11 activities,” she said, adding that a grant from the Helena Area Community Foundation helped extend that time by two weeks.
The Boulder Library came up with storytime backpacks to bridge the gap last summer — and offered story-themed backpacks stuffed with books, crafts and tip sheets — as well as offered STEM kits for the older children.
The Boulder Library obtained a Zoom license so that those who cannot attend craft sessions in person can do so via the online meeting platform. The library also provides “take and make” supplies that accompany the class, said Smiley.
Yet, while Zoom is a terrific tool that’s allowed the library to continue to provide services, “I’m ready for the community to be back in the library,” said Smiley.
The librarians and their staff have also had to step up their cleaning efforts. Books and DVD’s are wiped down and “quarantined” for 72 hours after being returned. The Clancy Library has a sign on the door that indicates whether the library has reached its COVID-19 social distancing capacity of 12 people. The library also had to remove one computer terminal to allow enough social distance between screens.
Smiley said the Boulder computers are thoroughly cleaned between uses, and that a lot of staff time has shifted to keeping up with COVID-19 cleaning protocols — to include stocking up on hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes when they are available.
“We’re feeling like the cleaning lady. I want to get back to being the library,” said Smiley.
To get around the capacity restrictions, as well as accommodating those who do not want to enter, both libraries offer curbside pickup. Patrons can look up what’s available on the digital catalog, or send requests via Facebook or email, and let the staff know their selections. Books are bagged up and delivered when the patron arrives in the parking lot.
Delsigne said she sometimes encounters patrons who may not have talked to anyone else for weeks when they come to pick up books. As a result, she’s taken to calling to check on some of her patrons who are only doing curbside to make sure they are O.K.
For those who do enter the library, they tend to do their business quickly and stay in their own little “pods,” said Delsigne.
She misses seeing people stop and have conversations in the library and watching children play.
Smiley wants to see people in the library again making “potato cozies” or attending movie nights.
She is especially worried about who she affectionately refers to as “the kiddos” and the back and forth between in-person and remote learning. For many, it’s a struggle to keep up with the academics.
Smiley remembers a boy who came in one day with a very pouty face.
“When I asked what was wrong he said, ‘remote,’” said Smiley.
Both librarians support the use of masks, but not only have they become a divisive issue among some, they cover half a person’s face, making connections more difficult.
Delsigne said getting people to wear a mask in Clancy hasn’t been difficult, but Smiley has had her challenges in Boulder.
Some folks have refused and it’s become political, she said.
Smiley said that as a librarian, she’s trying to stay neutral while still doing her job.
Delsigne said the masks have sometimes made it hard to recognize folks she’s known for years, especially when paired with a hat and sunglasses.
“Recognizing them in a mask was harder than I thought,” she said and admitted that she’s had to sometimes ask the names of folks she’s known for years. Now people will often spontaneously identify themselves, said Delsigne.
Both libraries had a staffer or two quit or retire when the pandemic arrived. Delsigne and Smiley credit their remaining staff for sticking with it despite the risks.
Smiley said she asks her staff at their biweekly meetings how they are feeling about their work at this time.
“They’re caught in the middle too. They want to help people too, but they have families at home that they have to keep safe too,” she said, adding that after nearly a year, it’s getting to her too.
One bright spot that probably would not have occurred if it weren’t for the pandemic was an author “visit” from London via Zoom, said Clancy Library Board member Jim Hammill, who set it up. Hammill is a Sherlock Holmes buff and hit on the idea of using Zoom to bring Sherlock Holmes Adventure series author Bonnie MacBird to Clancy from across the ocean.
Hammill doesn’t think it would have happened if Zoom hadn’t become so popular due to the pandemic, he said.
Smiley thinks the pandemic has allowed people to slow down and spend more time with their families, as well as given people the ability to reprioritize their lives.
It’s a good thing that we’ve had to slow down a bit … further down the line it will make a big difference in how we are with each other,” she said.
