Call Center and Curbside: Library Service Innovations

About the Program

Category: Libraries (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

When COVID-19 caused our schools and facilities to shut down abruptly, the library system was not in an immediate position to deliver materials or information assistance to the learning community in a safe and effective manner. Safety protocols were not immediately available, much was still unknown about the virus and how it was transmitted, and staff and the public were fearful and concerned about public spaces, communal collections, and the need for social distancing. Staff quickly rallied to develop and implement a way to provide information and materials in a safe, effective manner that could be implemented immediately with minimal changes to current systems. Staff formed action teams, working on Microsoft Teams, to create two new channels of business that were most important and immediately needed: a new curbside service to distribute materials and a new centralized call center to disseminate information. These new services have proven so popular that they will continue in the post-COVID world as they represent both efficiencies and new library services that demonstrate value and responsiveness to customer need.