One of the most devastating aspects of COVID-19 is its ubiquity. Everyone who is not battling the virus itself is living in its shadow. That omnipresent threat has wreaked havoc on almost every aspect of everyday life.

When the pandemic took root in cities across the country, many businesses, having no alternatives, were forced to put up “CLOSED” signs. Around the same time, some River Campus Libraries (RCL) librarians would have liked to mount a jumbo-sized neon sign at the top of Rush Rhees Library’s tower that said “OPEN.” And it wouldn’t have been to indicate that the libraries were virtually open; it would have been a call to action.

The University of Rochester is committed to nurturing and maintaining an equitable and inclusive learning environment at all times, under all circumstances. Textbooks represent a key area where the University can make strides toward this core objective. 

Masked, armed with sanitizer, and prepared to tell students, faculty, and staff to maintain a six-foot distance, the University of Rochester is coming out of isolation. As of this writing, Rochester’s undergraduate students will begin the fall 2020 semester on Aug 24. However, not all students will be returning to campus.

Since 2004, Oxford Languages has chosen a “Word of the Year,” which reflects the “ethos, mood, or preoccupations of that particular year.” The “winning” word is also likely to have lasting cultural significance. If the River Campus Libraries (RCL) had to choose a word for 2020 based on that criteria, some would nominate “de-densification.”

It feels impossible, but it was only a little more than four months ago that the River Campus Libraries (RCL) had to close all of its physical locations. Although the libraries never stopped serving students and faculty, there’s no replacing the experience of being in Evans Lam Square, the Carlson Science and Engineering Library, or any of its other spaces. So, when an opportunity to reopen in June unexpectedly knocked on the libraries’ door, no effort was spared to answer.

Dear Colleagues,

What do you think you will remember about the COVID-19 pandemic a year from now? Will you remember how your feelings evolved and what day-to-day life was like?

Same questions, only it is 10 years from now. How much do you think you will still remember?