Barrie Public Library Program Portal and Digital Library Academy
Barrie Public Library, Ont.
Innovation Synopsis
With the onset of COVID-19 and the closure of the library, BPL Niche Academy offered new and engaging ways to stay relevant and support the community. The Program Portal has become the one-stop shop for digital programming. The Digital Library Academy provides support for using digital resources, which have seen more usage than ever before.
Challenge/Opportunity
As public spaces were closing down in the wake of COVID-19, our immediate challenge was to continue providing services to our library patrons as much as possible and demonstrate the library's value to the community.
While some other aspects of our service already had usable online components such as e-books, in-person programming required a radical re-think. This provided the opportunity to embrace our newly subscribed online platform and reimagine in-person programming for remote, online participants.
Key Elements of Innovation
We took a newly acquired platform, originally designed for creation and hosting of online tutorials and took advantage of its flexible design to replicate our in-person programs.
This involved adapting program leadership to make it more agile and devolved. Staff rapidly developed a high level of skill in original video creation and layout using the online platform.
Niche Academy themselves commented that they had not seen any of their customers use their platform in quite this way before.
Achieved Outcomes
- Continuation of online programming, even as in-person use of the library slowly returns — expectations of users are that the new online programming will continue.
- Staff continue to develop skills relevant to online programming.
- Video Standardization Working Group set up to recommend selection of organization-wide video editing software and equipment.
- Increased online engagement with library programs and services. Perpetuate interest in online programs and digital resources beyond the "lock-down spike."
