Lexington Public Library is adapting to the new normal caused by COVID-19

Over the past few months, administrators, managers, and the board of the Lexington Public Library have been planning a safe and thoughtful reopening of its buildings. The very heart of the library – connecting people to ideas, to information, and to each other – is being reframed to fit into our new world of social distancing and limited capacity.

As we navigate working with the public in this new way, the services we offer will be focused on what is most needed by our community – applying for benefits; supporting students, parents, and teachers; offering computer and internet access inside and outside our buildings; and, of course, checking out books, DVDs, magazines, and board games. Our buildings, however, will reopen with fewer hours and fewer people in order to meet our number one priority: The safety of our staff and our customers.

Unfortunately, this focus on core services and limited capacity necessitated a reduction in library staff. The greatest resource our public library system offers Lexington is its dedicated and knowledgeable staff, making this decision even more difficult. The elimination of these positions reflects the amount of work currently happening within the library system, not the value of our employees’ contributions.

Lexington Public Library is a community agency supported by revenue collected from property taxes. We take our stewardship of those funds very seriously. In light of these uncertain times, we must make decisions that are sometimes unpopular and difficult, but necessary due to the fiscal responsibility of our efforts to make the best use of taxpayer dollars. The resulting savings from these decisions will be used for the unanticipated expenditures associated with the pandemic as we meet CDC, state, and local health guidelines and for improving library services throughout our community.

We are your library. Even though current circumstances impact how we are delivering services, we remain committed to serving you. Visit us at Northside, pick up some books curbside at any location, or visit us 24/7 at www.lexpublib.org. We will begin to open additional locations when it is safe for customers and staff, and will provide updates on openings and additional services via our website and social media channels.

Lawrence T. Smith is chairman of the board of directors of the Lexington Public Library.