For years, Sadie Hartzler and other libraries have been striving to become “third places”, communities apart from the home or workplace, where people are able to use the space freely, apart from just checking out materials. Now, due to COVID-19, Sadie Hartzler Library is unable to fully carry out their mission as a “third place”, cutting operations.
Sadie Hartzler Director, Marci Frederick, said, “[as librarians] we’ve spent decades trying to get people into the building [to revise the] old stereotype of the library as a stuffy, locked down place, but now we’ve had to go back to that to keep people safe.”
In preparation for the fall, Frederick met with other libraries to inform how Sadie Hartzler would operate amidst the virus. “The Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA) [hosted] Zoom sessions…all summer. Librarians would talk about…their plans, problems they were having [and] would commiserate about different things going on.”
Soon after the lockdown period began, the library increased their digital media catalog, mitigating the need for physical loans. Despite three floors of books, magazines, DVDs and archives, 75% of the Sadie Hartzler catalog is stored online.
For the library to remain open to the public, library staff has altered their expectations and policies in regard to patrons. Library users are asked to be mindful of their time inside the building and their use of the space. The staff suggests limiting physical contact when browsing the shelves. If a book is unshelved and not checked out, it is to be put at the end of a bookshelf in a marked off area to be reshelved later.
The checkout process has been modified to limit the exchange of materials between patrons and staff. Now, customers scan their own EMU ID, as well as desensitize the magnetic strip on their loans, rather than handing things off to workers behind the front desk.
Once loans are returned, they are put in quarantine for three days. Because of this, some students or staff may receive a notice about late fees from books which have already been returned. This just means they are still in holding and have not been processed yet. Regardless, students should not fret. The library no longer administers fines, except on VACA equipment, though they still request patrons to return books in a timely manner.
Bonnie Bowser, the Circulation and Office Manager, has noticed a slower workflow due to the changes. “Everyone that comes to work [follows] a long list of things they need to do when they come in,” Bowser said. This includes frequent sweeps around the library to wipe down tables and other surfaces.
In addition to changes in operation, there has been a shift in the physical landscape with chairs and tables relocated to accommodate physical distancing. In the process, a large chunk of the chairs and tables were removed. “In some ways,” Frederick noted, “I realized how overstuffed our building…was before.”
Some extra seating has been placed outside the library with more coming. These tables, yet to arrive, will be placed along the walkway which wraps around the building. Information Systems has “beefed up” the library wi-fi to ensure those sitting outdoors still have good internet signal.
First-Year Thomas Erickson, felt comfortable with the library’s layout and accessibility. “There seemed to be enough space for people to walk around each other safely.” Work-study student, Senior David Chun, still has reservations. Despite having fewer people in the library, he has concerns about how the virus could possibly spread through the library’s air circulation.
Frederick addressed these concerns, noting Sadie Hartzler’s good air circulation. Despite this, she still encourages students to be aware of how long they are in the building.
Despite a number of undesirable changes and restrictions, Frederick noted the library staff’s deep bond and their strength in small numbers. “It really became home to us this summer when a lot of our…social engagements and connections were less often or…canceled…that we really support each other and are like family.”
