Good day! Please excuse cross-postings:

Here is an idea we are kicking around on the ARSL listserv. I think this is particularly important in Maine as we are celebrating our 200th "birthday." This is NOW how any of us wanted to observe the bicentennial, but it could be a treasure for our respective communities in years to come:

"We know that passing materials around can transmit the virus, and so many of our patrons we serve do not have access to the internet at any sort of useful speed, if at all.
This would be an interesting time to have our patrons use the library and contribute to it in a different way.
If they have or can somehow get access to a notebook, pad of paper, anything, and write, draw, scrapbook, or anything else their experiences through this pandemic period of shutdown, what interesting artifacts, records, and source materials those would make to future generations visiting our libraries! Imagine each library having its own community "social distancing 2020" section for future generations. After a period of having the materials sit untouched for sanitation purposes, they could be digitized and/or archived. Some might be factual accounts, some might be personal reflections, and some might be fantastical stories from vivid imaginations that will become great reads. Recorded experiences and recollections could also be very useful later on.
This is a professionally and personally difficult time for librarians and libraries, but it could also be a very strong reminder of the value of an institution that preserves its community's culture and stories for future generations.
Our challenge will just be to get the word out, and I think many people are still staying tuned to local media very closely."

Please stay safe and continue to reach out to MSL with any questions. For rural and small libraries (or any, really), my mobile number is in my signature line below.

Respectfully,
Lisa


Lisa M. Shaw
Maine State Library
Rural & Small Libraries Specialist
Workforce Development
145 Harlow St.
Bangor ME 04401
(207) 947-8336 xt 114
(207) 217-1565 (mobile)
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https://www.maine.gov/msl/libs/index.shtml
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisanealshaw/