In the last few months the world has gone through so much rapid change. In the USA we are also dealing with social unrest, protests and hostile politics. In all that, like with all institutions, libraries of all types are trying to adjust to be able to provide as many services as they can.
Traveling to visit the public and academic libraries the last few weeks in Southeast Kansas I’m amazed how creative and dedicated libraries are in helping their patrons through these strange times. One of the biggest changes is that there are obviously less face-to-face interactions with less programing.
With all this going on there is an increasing use of services like Zoom that have replaced in person meetings and activities. Zoom type of communicating has been a blessing for the dissemination of information and also helps many with the feelings of isolation in the time of Covid. Not that long ago these types of communication services were not very reliable or even exist.
When someone has to change the major way they receive or learn information there can be a sense of insecurity. Several library staff confess frustration with the amount of Zooming they have to do these day. In the past an occasional Zoom meeting was not an issue, but the increasing Zoom usage is making many anxious.
The good news is the more you do something, the more comfortable you are likely to feel about it. As a personal example, I mostly hated doing public speaking, even with experience in acting and music. In my 30’s I was attending library school and had to do many presentations and found in time, they were not so bad and mostly enjoyable.
This anxiety is due in part to rapid social change with different leaning styles. With a background in sociology, I have learned a lot about the diverse leaning styles that humans can have. This includes my own learning style with its strengths and weakness.
One of these anxieties is the aspect of an “unknown” future for the world, society and at the personal level. After some confess they are sometimes finding the difference in communicating a concern, I tell that I also feel it too. Everyone to some degree is facing it and nobody should feel that are that they are alone in this.
We will continue to move forward and find ways to help the communities with outreach and services in whatever form, with no simple answers. It might be a slower and less progressive than we want, but like with any rapid change, humans are great at adapting with shared values and a hopefulness for the future.
About the writer: Eric R. Green, MLS MA, is the library consultant for the Southeast Library System office located in Iola.
