The Moose Jaw Public Library had to improvise last year to meet patrons’ needs because of the pandemic, and managed to overcome several hurdles admirably, the library’s board chair says.
“2020 was a year of challenges for everyone, including the library … ,” Sarah Simison said during the March 22 regular city council meeting while providing the library’s annual report. “Despite the difficulty of the situation, our staff rose to the occasion and the Moose Jaw Public Library continued to provide exemplary services to the community.”
Library staff created a virtual help desk within a month of the building’s closure and answered over 2,400 questions during the closure, she continued.
Other tasks also included registering residents for library cards, answering questions about library policy and loans, searching through the archives, educating patrons on known scams, troubleshooting tech problems, and listening sympathetically to patrons who were struggling during the pandemic.
The library’s information services were also crucial for residents without internet at home, Simison said. Further, staff helped patrons access digital resources — books, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines and films — safely from their homes
The organization continued to assist patrons in-person once the doors reopened, she continued. The library answered 15,837 questions in-person, a decline from 25,427 inquiries in 2019.
All programming for children, teenagers and adults shifted online, although some children’s initiatives were held in a physically distanced manner in Crescent Park in the summer.
Overall, 3,783 people of all ages attended 255 programs last year, with 137 programs presented digitally. In comparison, 8,873 library users attended 541 programs in 2019.
The most popular adult program was “History Mystery,” which involved participants identifying names, places and dates using archival photographs, Simison said. Children’s story time and craft time also went virtual, while older youths connected virtually through Discord, where they could explore and problem solve while playing Dungeon and Dragons online.
“A core group of high school youths were able to escape the world of COVID into a world where they could literally be and do anything they want,” she continued. “In this space, they met with friends to relax and to also discuss things they may not normally be willing to or able to discuss with friends in person.”
Social media continued to be useful for the library, as its Facebook page received 1,773 “likes,” an increase from 1,524 likes the year before.
Overall, in 2020, patrons in Moose Jaw and from across the province checked out 187,155 materials from the library, including 104,734 physical items and 82,421 digital items.
“If everyone in Moose Jaw borrowed an item last year, that would be an average of 5.5 items per person,” said Simison.
In comparison, the library circulated 282,682 physical and digital items in 2019.
The library also offered curbside pick-up and filled over 2,600 requests. For residents unable to leave their homes, the library delivered 1,729 items through its outreach initiative.
Meanwhile, the use of digital materials increased during the year. Data showed patrons accessed between 5,900 and 7,600 virtual library resources last year compared to 4,000 to 5,200 digital resources the year before.
Hoopla — one of the most popular online platforms — also had 14,000 downloads, while Libby — another popular resource — had 65,000 downloads.
Staff created nearly 1,400 free literacy kits for youths and delivered the packages to the city’s Playground Program and to Hunger in Moose Jaw. Meanwhile, patrons read for 54,959 minutes during the virtual summer reading club, which translates into 916 hours or 5.45 weeks of reading.
The library had 14,350 active cardholders last year, which was a decrease from 14,756 from the year before. However, the library issued 182 new cards while the building was closed.
Almost half of Moose Jaw has a library card, Simison added.
“That’s pretty remarkable since it’s not only adults, but children as well (who have library cards),” said Coun. Crystal Froese. “I’m glad Hoopla was mentioned, because if you don’t have a library card you should get one. Normally these platforms cost money, but they are included in the membership.”
Council later voted to receive and file Simison's report.
The next regular council meeting is Monday, April 12.
