Lessons from the pandemic

Now that the University is unmasked, no longer physically distant, and open to visitors, many of us are reflecting upon the previous 17 months when none of that was the case. During that time, we established several new protocols and services to protect our staff and ensure patrons felt safe while they teach, study, or pursue research. We’re now looking back thinking about what worked, what didn’t, and what things we might continue post-COVID.

One general realization was that nothing about the pandemic allowed for a “one size fits all” approach. Every issue, big or small, was weighed, discussed, and given a plan. Almost all of us have come out of this experience more resilient and with bigger change management muscles, which were crucial for navigating an incredibly unpredictable situation. Being in a constant state of uncertainty was not a comfortable position for most. However, we adapted, and I think many of us have learned to be more flexible.

There’s much we’re still processing, but here’s a list of some of the River Campus Libraries’ takeaways.

• We can quickly and adeptly transition to an entirely digital landscape—should we have to again. Our librarians and staff demonstrated technical proficiency, an openness to change, and a dedication to the success of students and faculty through the creation of wholly digital programs, exhibits, events, and services. Plus, we have access to millions of digital scholarly materials including e-books, journals, indexes and abstracts, and digitized collections such as HathiTrust.
   
• Creativity is key, irrespective of our circumstances. Our patrons can only benefit from the out-of-box thinking we needed to take precaution and follow guidelines. For example, when we were unsure about the surface transmission of COVID, course reserves became electronic-only. And because many large textbook publishers do not allow e-textbook access to libraries, our team initiated the “Access to Course Textbook Commitment.” This is a solution that will pay dividends long after COVID has subsided. Furthermore, the provision of open educational resources (OER) was critically important to hybrid and remote instruction. Students studying abroad did not have access to course textbooks or library materials. Shining a light on faculty who embraced OER’s in our “Zero Cost Heroes” campaign was one way to underscore the importance and effectiveness of open access in relation to equity.
   
• Investing in and maintaining our physical learning spaces is critical. Never has there been a more potent reminder of how valued our collaborative spaces are. Physical distancing worked in spaces designated as “quiet study,” but proved to be a significant hardship for those interested in collaborative study. Despite our best efforts, students never really had the opportunity to work together in library spaces. Our solution was to give them virtual study rooms. Needless to say, we are thrilled all of our learning spaces will return to their pre-COVID states in the fall, including the refreshed Gleason Library and Carlson First Floor and the new Studio X.
   
• Self-service is a timeless service. Offering self-checkout and self-pickup for holds and interlibrary loans worked very well.
   
• Virtual events are not “rainy day” solutions. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to explore a new type of library experience—one that is accessible to a much broader audience. Our Neilly Author Series lectures and the ExhiBit events we held for the Women Running Rochester exhibit drew a national audiences. Going forward, the Neilly Series will be delivered both in-person and virtually, and we will consider virtual access for other programs as part of our planning.
   
• We should be thinking about patron density all the time. Although our physical distance is no longer restricted, we should still be mindful of the space around and available to us. The implementation of sensor-based software Occuspace was enormously helpful in keeping our spaces safe. It was also a big hit with our students. And now, rather than wandering from study area to study area to find a seat, students can use an app to help them decide what library space to use.
   
• Feedback remains essential to our work and success. Throughout the roughest patches that are now behind us, strong relationships with faculty and students were incredibly important. Real-time feedback and input were critical to our ability to address issues and make changes when something wasn’t working. With few exceptions, changes to the libraries services, hours, learning spaces, or collections, were shared in advance with advisory groups, deans, and student government, to obtain feedback, often resulting in a better outcome.

Regardless, of what else surfaces as we look back and debrief, I cannot thank the River Campus Libraries staff enough. Our team, quite frankly, has been brilliant in the face of much adversity. I am also very grateful to our students, staff, and faculty, and the many alumni and friends who support us. If there’s anything I’m certain of it’s that we need each other. Our families, friendships, and communities have taken us this far, and they will be critical to our ability to definitively put COVID behind us.

Mary Ann Mavrinac
Vice Provost and Andrew H. and Janet Dayton Neilly Dean
University of Rochester Libraries