ALA Survey and Resources for COVID-19

American Library Association (2020). ALA Survey Shows Effects of Pandemic on Library Services. Retrieved From: https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/blogs/the-scoop/ala-survey-shows-effects-of-pandemic-on-library-services/

 

Plagman, Emily, (2020). Libraries Respond: COVID-19 Survey. American Library Association            (ALA). Retrieved From: http://www.ala.org/tools/covid/libraries-respond-covid-19-survey

 

Reed, Felipe E., (2020). Pandemic Preparedness: Resources for Libraries. American Library   Association (ALA). Retrieved From: http://www.ala.org/tools/atoz/pandemic-preparedness

            These articles are from the new American Library Association (ALA) and are a survey of US libraries, Libraries Respond: COVID-19 Survey, which documents a shift in services to support students, faculty, and communities at large during the crisis and phased preparations for the months ahead. Also provided is an article made up of a list of resources for Libraries and librarians to use during COVID-19 and an article describing the survey. While virtually all libraries report limited access to the physical building, survey respondents shared leaps in the use of digital content, online learning, and virtual programs. More than 3,800 K–12 school, college and university, public, and other libraries from all 50 states responded to the survey May 12–18. Survey responses show that libraries are involved in community crisis response, cautiously planning for reopening facilities, working to meet the educational needs of students and researchers, reporting increased use of digital services, and anticipating future demands. ALA As a follow up to PLA’s March 2020 Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19 Survey, a new American Library Association (ALA) survey of U.S. libraries documents a shift in services to support students, faculty, and communities at large during the crisis and phased preparations for the months ahead.

            A pandemic is an outbreak of a disease that occurs over a wide geographic area and affects an exceptionally high proportion of the population. (Merriam-Webster Online). This article provides information and resources about preparing for a pandemic, including library-specific policy suggestions and more universal resources on pandemic education, prevention and preparation. Some of the resources are specific to seasonal influenza outbreaks and the 2019/2020 COVID-19 pandemic but can be used more universally to help educate and inform decisions on pandemic prevention and preparedness.