COVID-19 made us reflect on what our patrons truly need from us and how we could get information to them. The first step was to completely reorganize our website to focus on our top resources that were still available, including: our digital library, curating a list of essential resources for our community during COVID; e-content recommended by age (kid, teen and adult); info on how to get a library card and eventually how to make a Holds To-Go appointment.

We began by creating a page with information on non-library resources like food banks, job resources and pandemic information. Other initiatives included: significantly bolstering our collection of digital materials; making it possible to register for a library card online; using Biblioboard as a platform for virtual storytimes, craft tutorials and other events; launching an integrated web reservation system in June which allows patrons to make reservations to pick up holds; adding a chat feature and a phone line for reference help.

From March to September, we signed up over 5,300 new cardholders through our website. From June–August, patrons made close to 9,000 hold appointments through our website. As of August, e-book checkouts were up 28% compared to 2019 with new users up 43%, and audiobook usage is up 40% since 2019. Our most popular virtual program was this summer’s Super Spy Training hosted on Biblioboard, where we had over 1,320 views in June!