PLA Resources on COVID-19
The PLA Board of Directors and staff are committed to providing information on the rapidly-evolving situation with COVID-19 to PLA members. We have compiled some information below to consider as your library, community, and family respond to the crisis. If you have information you think would be helpful to add, please email pla@ala.org.
ALA COVID-19 Recovery
Strong libraries—and a well-supported library workforce—are essential to the recovery of communities devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This collection of tools, developed and updated by units across the American Library Association, will help communities, library workers, and library supporters plot the best course forward for their libraries.
COVID-19 Response Surveys
In response to the COVID-19 crisis, PLA coordinated with several ALA units and other library organizations to survey the library community to learn and share information about the impacts of COVID-19 on libraries, library staff, and our work serving our communities. On June 3, the ALA released the findings from the Libraries Respond: COVID-19 Survey, where more than 3,800 K–12 school, college and university, public, and other libraries from all 50 states responded to the survey between May 12–18. Public libraries represented about 2,900 of all responses, with an estimated 30% response rate. The results can be found at http://www.ala.org/pla/issues/covid-19/surveyoverview.
On April 8, 2020, the PLA released its findings from a March 2020 survey of public libraries about their response to COVID-19 and the impact it has had on their operations and ability provide programs and services to their community. The results, captured from over 2,500 libraries, can be found at http://www.ala.org/pla/issues/covid-19/march2020survey.
Explore the data in an interactive data visualization created to accompany an article in Public Libraries (January/February 2021).
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19 Webinars
The recordings of PLA's March 26–April 23, 2020 webinar series feature updates on the then-current status of the pandemic, examples of how libraries are dealing with closures and serving their communities virtually, and opportunities to share and learn from each other are freely available for viewing.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: The Current Landscape
Learn about the current public library landscape amidst COVID-19 and hear from library leaders about what they’ve done.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Successful Ways to Work Remotely
Learn about software and technology options and gain best practices for being a successful remote employee or manager.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Managing Stress and Anxiety
Hear from members of the PLA Social Worker Task Force on ways to approach self-care, prioritize well-being, and manage stress and anxiety.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Innovative Solutions in Times of Crisis
Hear examples from library staff who have responded to this time of crisis with innovative solutions to services and programs.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: National Survey Results
More than 2,500 public libraries responded to the broadest national survey of public library responses to the COVID-19 pandemic March 24–April 1.
Public Libraries Respond to COVID-19: Strategies for Advancing Digital Equity Now
Speakers share strategies ranging from amplifying WiFi signals to deploying mobile hotspots to mapping and publicizing public WiFi access.
