TOLEDO, Ohio — Andrea Sanford, the Youth Services Librarian at the Mott Branch Library, has taken on dozens of additional duties over the past two years. From helping families navigate remote learning to signing people up for COVID-19 vaccine appointments, Sandford has been adapting as new needs have come about.
"Yes my job has been impacted by COVID-19, it has been challenging but it’s okay because we got through it, we’re still going through it, and I’m still able to do my job" said Sanford.
Sanford isn't the only librarian taking hundreds of calls every week, helping people in new ways. Back in spring of 2020, when many people found themselves unemployed or furloughed, librarians stepped up to the plate to help.
"Helping individuals get the government assistance that was being offered, get set up for vaccine appointments, get COVID test kits - all of that ended up falling to librarians in a pretty major way," said Allison Fiscus, Adult Service Coordinator with the Toledo Lucas County Public Library.
While signing up was easy for some people, many people without a computer or internet access came to their local library to get help signing up. Additionally, managing COVID-19 testing kits also became a responsibility of library staff within recent months. Officials with the Toledo Lucas County Public Library said they have distributed more than 150,000 testing kits since September.
Despite the extra work, librarians said it is rewarding for them to help so many families that might not have another resource if it weren't for them.
"Really being able to take every new question and every new thing that came through bit by bit. And you know we’re really proud of the way that librarians stepped up to the task and were able to say that this is a new hurdle that we have to face or a new assistance that’s being offered" said Fiscus.
On top of everything they have already done, the library is also working on getting community nurses in their facilities for people to take advantage of in the near future. For access to library resources, click here.