COVID-19

As public libraries close their buildings to the public, staff continue to serve their communities in innovative ways. Those are among the chief findings the Public Library Association (PLA) announced today in the broadest survey of public libraries’ response to the pandemic to date, with 2,545 unique responses nationwide. Most respondents (98%) reported their buildings were closed to the public but, in many cases, staff continued to expand access to digital resources, launch virtual programs and coordinate services with local government agencies.

WASHINGTON, DC — Today the $2 trillion economic stimulus package, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act, is on its way to the president to be signed into law. The package includes $50 million for the Institute of Museum and Library Services for digital inclusion projects and more than $30 billion in relief for schools and colleges, plus billions more for state and local governments, and nonprofit organizations. In response, American Library Association (ALA) President Wanda Brown made the following statement: