When the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in San Jose - the main library for both San Jose State University and San Jose Public Library - closed its doors on March 16, 2021, most believed it would be for only a few weeks. When our physical building reopened 18 months later it held a very different organization. Employees were concerned for their health and safety while serving a community feeling anxious, isolated, and unsure of the future.

Many of our partners on campus and within the community had changed, as well. Some expanded as they stepped up to help populations in need, while others disappeared due to upheaval and loss. And many were hesitant about reaching out, planning programs and events - because who know what would happen? Things could be shut down again, people may not want to participate, participants might become positive cases.

However, one common thread was the desire to support the emotional well being of our communities. Communities struggling with the impact of COVID, the economic challenge of inflation and unemployment, and the continued fight against racial injustice so many of our community members face. As we've reopened, we've focused on partnerships that emotionally support the populations we serve while centering the library as a responsive, empathetic member of the community. This includes:

• Collecting individual stories about our community members' COVID experiences and hosting them in a digital archive

• Connecting with local health organizations to provide information and services

• Providing space for campus counseling groups

• Hosting conversations between the community and law enforcement

• Exhibiting artists exploring racist police shooting and activities
  

Some lessons learned:

1. Identify the needs of the most vulnerable populations in your community through conversation and understanding what people within those groups are asking for.

2. Ask to partner with them, combining resources to further their successful work and start programs or practices that community wants - not what you think they want!

3. Check in with your partners frequently to make sure the partnership is mutually beneficial and to keep good communication flowing.

4. Show appreciation to your partners through recognition.

As we all are aware, the pandemic has affected basic everyday tasks from grocery shopping to visiting loved ones. For libraries, doors were shut for months, and for some, they are still shut.

The challenges that followed these shutdowns affected not only businesses, but the lives of their employees. Both employer and employees have had to continuously reassess and adjust to constant changes amid fear, health and safety concerns, economic challenges and political events occurring throughout the pandemic. But we as organizations and as individuals can only take on so much.

So how do we rebuild? How do we move forward from this fork in the road?

We have to rethink. Rethink the way we approach, the way we present, and the way we serve.

Here at Sacramento Public Library, we are in the process of reconnecting with our local communities. They are who we serve, they are who we present to, and they are who we should base our approaches on. Some of the library branches with a longer history of rapport with local community-based organizations are fortunate to have kept their connection and have made plans to restart and continue services, increasing interactions as the restrictions from the pandemic ease. Some other library branches were unable to hold onto their connections, due to organizations being lost to the pandemic, or due to a lack of staff retention.

What I have seen at Sacramento Public Library to be most beneficial is rethinking our approach. Focusing on intentionality, and hearing from system-level administration that this is a learning process for us all, has been quite a relief. Even those at the top agree that intentionality takes time. We are now in a stage of collecting data, input, and answers from the community with Cortico questions. Cortico is a non-profit organization that uses a community-first approach and centers the voices of those unheard in their community. By implementing Cortico questions, we can generate an idea of what the community is in need of and center the community in the library's planning. We are turning to established members of the community, from our frontline staff such as shelvers and library assistants, to our regular patrons. We are here to listen and meet the community where it is at.

We follow along the mission of Sacramento's movement to Farm to Fork, recognizing what cultures have always been in our community, and bringing to the forefront what is desired by them.

*Term used to describe natives / inhabitants of Los Angeles, CA

The Daly City Public Library struggled with community engagement pre-pandemic, and after closing to the public for 3 weeks before resuming any services, our struggles throughout the pandemic and during our reopening last May made that even more obvious. From a general lack of reach regarding library services, to curbside patrons being unaware about virtual programming, we could not reach our residents. We worked with local food distribution centers at the mall, community centers, and schools, got our messages out on electronic billboards, but even now, community members are surprised by the library being open. The library made major changes since reopening, including expanding hours for the first time in about 5 years as well as going fine-free. Community partnerships with fellow city departments, our friends group, local schools, and shopping centers have helped us to remain active in the community, but not enough to bring patrons back to the library. Most of our current regulars were regulars before and during the pandemic that utilized our holds-by-mail, curbside, and limited reopening services. The library's struggle to get new patrons into the library reflects its need to engage with its community.

Despite the struggles the library has continued to face, I am hopeful that we are turning a corner in terms of community engagement. New staff members and the resumption of in-person programming have revitalized our outreach efforts. For the past month, our librarians have been hard at work with multiple class visits weekly. They've also attended community events such as a local high school's centennial celebration and the senior center's "Welcome Back to Programs." We've also utilized community partners with two virtual/in-person program series: Book to Action with the Peninsula Humane Society and a poetry series with the San Mateo County Poet Laureate. With funding and support from community partners, the library's offerings can only continue to improve, with additional technology for our maker spaces and new circulating items like the state parks passes and bicycle locks hopefully drawing in new library users.