The Moose Jaw Public Library had to close its doors to the public due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped program directors from finding a way to stay connected with library patrons.
The public library has a number of new, virtual versions of beloved programs scheduled for the month of May, all delivered through accessible online platforms that are available to anyone.
“We realized we were probably going to be closed for a while, and so we decided that we still wanted to have a presence in the community,” said acting assistant head librarian Carolyn Graham. “We know that a lot of people are pretty tech-savvy these days, so we decided to try virtual programming.”
Naturally, the library has chosen to adapt some reading-focused programming to fill in the calendar while the building’s doors are closed.
The idea began with offering Virtual Storytime with Miss Wendy on Wednesdays at 10 a.m., as a continuation of the children’s program usually hosted at the library.
As the interactive storytime videos proved popular, the library added a weekly kids' craft program on their YouTube page called Art with Haley. Fro there. they just kept brainstorming ideas.
On May 14, patrons are invited to join What Are You Reading? at 2:30 p.m., for an open forum with other patrons to share what books they are currently reading or thinking about picking up next.
On May 28, MJPL will bring back it’s monthly book club, with the in-person discussion now offered virtually. This month, book club members are reading Confessions of a Domestic Failure by Bunmi Laditan, available for free in eBook and audiobook format on Hoopla.
The library is also hosting a Teen Book Club on May 26 at 2:30 p.m., for a discussion about this month's title Sunshine by Robin McKinley, available on Hoopla as an eBook and audiobook.
Teens are also invited to register for digital Dungeons & Dragons sessions on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., as a continuation of the MJPL’s previous program, and the Teen Digital Discord Hangout on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m. to catch up with friends and join a group discussion.
The long-running Death Cafe will also be returning with a virtual format on May 21 at 2:30 p.m., as a safe place to discuss the difficult subject of death.
And in the same strain, the library is also offering COVID-19 Cafe beginning May 27 at 2:30 p.m., as a platform to connect with others in the community and share any concerns or anxieties about the pandemic.
“It was kind of a spin-off from the Death Cafe, because we know people are being affected by the pandemic,” said Graham. “[Lots of people are feeling] anxiety, or stress, or sadness, or even anger, so we just thought this would be a forum for people who aren't able to connect in other ways.”
All of the programs are provided through live video, meaning that although patrons are joining in from home, they still get to interact with each other as if they were gathering in the library meeting rooms just like normal.
Adult programs will be delivered by Zoom, while teen programs are being hosted on MJPL's Discord server. Children’s programs require registration in order to participate, for security reasons.
All of the programs launching this month were chosen because they were popular before the library’s forced closure, said Graham.
“We thought we would start with those tried-and-true programs virtually, and then gradually we're adding in a few other things,” said Graham. “We’re already in the planning stages for June.”
Staff are working hard to develop more distance programs in the coming weeks, and Graham feels as though moving to virtual platforms could be good for the Library’s long-term future, in terms of accessibility.
The Moose Jaw Public Library is sharing information about all of the virtual programs and how to join them on their Facebook page. Details are also available on their website.
Staff are working from home for the most part, but encourage people to call the Library’s Help Desk at 1 (306) 692-2787 with any questions they might have — including questions about getting or renewing a library card, how to use any of the digital resources offered by the Library, tech help requests, or inquiries for the Archives Department.
