Things were different a short time ago when I signed up to write this week’s “Library Lowdown.” The coronavirus pandemic had not yet been fully realized.
I was planning to write, instead, about the Libraries in the Woods Community Read, which this year is studying “Braiding Sweetgrass” by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I even had a title, “Warning: This book changes lives,” and a rough draft of my ideas. I intended to share about my own relationship with this special book, which, when I read it for the first time, shifted my perspective.
But then, like everyone, the focus of my week shifted as news of COVID-19 became increasingly serious. How does a small town library director respond to a global threat? This is a new one for me.
In such instances, librarians begin by gathering information. As I weighed the difficult decisions facing Griswold Memorial Library in Colrain, I relied on the World Health Organization’s excellent FAQ page, the Center for Disease Control and National Institutes of Health websites. Library trustees, town administrators and other administrators in the area have been in constant communication throughout. On Friday morning, Griswold Memorial Library suspended all library programming and, that evening, we made the difficult decision to close its doors. I would be lying if I told you I managed to do this stoically. As a public librarian, community and the space we hold for everyone is incredibly important to me.
Each public library will respond to COVID-19 in its own way. Readers should check with their libraries to learn what services are being offered in their area. While the Colrain library will not circulate materials during this time, Wi-Fi is available on the premises and we hope that patrons will explore the library’s online resources including e-books and downloadable audiobooks. Besides accessing books and more online, library staff will be available to answer questions by email (Griswold@colrain-ma.gov). We are leveraging our Facebook page and other platforms to keep in contact and share information and to remind everyone to be vigilant about the news they consume and share online since the COVID-19 pandemic presents an opportunity for scammers to spread misinformation or malware.
The impact of the evolving health crisis is far-reaching. Driving home this evening, past scores of tapped maple trees threaded together by tubes, I thought again about Robin Wall Kimmerer and “Braiding Sweetgrass,” which is about botany, viewed through Native American traditions, among other things.
I thought of it, too when I saw the empty grocery store shelves, the long lines and the weariness on everyone’s faces. I realized that these worries and commotion aren’t new, they are just amplified by this latest threat. “Braiding Sweetgrass,” in contrast, suggests that the Earth can provide for all of us. It asks that we slow down, listen and look out for one another.
So, while COVID-19 has mandated some drastic precautions and no doubt, caused a lot of anxiety and stress, I’ve come back around to what I do best: relating to others and the world through books. The idea behind the Libraries in the Woods Community Read is to bring everyone together through the act of reading one book. The programming that participating libraries had planned for the month may need to be rescheduled and services have been reduced as necessary. (Each library is different, so check with your local library to learn how they have been impacted.)
But even in isolation, I am reminded that reading is a bridge — and powerful medicine. “Braiding Sweetgrass,” in particular, has something to offer in these uncertain times, so when I saw the maple trees on my drive home from the grocery store, they were a reminder to me that we are all connected, if not by libraries and reading, then maybe even by something greater.
Please contact your local library to learn about digital resources and accessing a copy “Braiding Sweetgrass.” Contact us about anything. While our services are taking new forms to cope with the coronavirus, our mission is as relevant as ever.
Chelsea Jordan-Makely is the Library Director at Griswold Memorial Library in Colrain. She can be reached at Griswold@colrain-ma.gov.