For over 25 years, Broward County Library has provided free, in-person income tax preparation assistance at 8-10 library locations. This free service attracts hundreds of participants annually. The service was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID-19 shutdowns. This left a gap in service that the library did not want to repeat in 2021. Although libraries had reopened to the public, social distancing and capacity requirements made in-person tax prep assistance difficult.

In 2021, library staff instead coordinated with service providers VITA Tax and AARP Tax Preparation to offer free low/no contact, drop off tax prep services at three library locations. Clients could drop off tax documents and pre-filled forms at these secure locations, and an IRS-certified volunteer would prepare the return. Filers could then return to the site to review and sign return.

Reimagining in-person initiatives and activities has been the norm for libraries in the time of COVID-19, but not many of those involve the level of trust that income tax preparation requires. Broward County Library successfully transitioned to a drop off tax prep service in 2021 that provided the community with the same reliable, free assistance as always but in a safer, more secure environment.