The past year has been overwhelming for the Timmins Public Library, but it was important to continue providing services, says the library’s CEO Carole-Ann Demers.
“We persevered and we were able to find our groove, find out how we can possibly offer services just in a different way," she said.
At the beginning of last year, the library was seeing increased circulation and programming. Then, the pandemic hit and the library had to close for a few months.
“We were a little sad because we really saw we were doing a really great job connecting with the community … We were seeing our programming increasing in numbers, our circulation was going up and then everything hit the brakes,” said the assistant library director Erin Auger.
In 2020, the total number of checkouts at both library branches was 77,994, with 48 per cent of borrowed items being books, 38 per cent digital checkouts, eight per cent DVDs and six per cent magazines.
Compared to 2019, digital checkouts last year have increased by 34 per cent. That includes e-books, music, movies, audiobooks and comics.
The most read genre last year was adult fiction, according to Auger.
In 2020, the library had 578 new patrons and 12,229 active users.
Before the pandemic, the number of new patrons in 2019 was twice as high as in 2020. The number of active library cardholders was also 13,170. Considering the library's closure and that cards can expire, the numbers were “still pretty good,” Demers noted.
“We’re proud of our staff and all the efforts they’ve made throughout the year because they were able to adapt, they worked really hard reinventing themselves,” she said. “We’ve never done online programs before, ever. So, it was a big learning curve for everyone.”
Throughout 2020, the library offered 334 in-person and virtual programs.
Adult-geared events like Coping Through Creativity, Indigenous Learning Circle and a forest bathing information session have been popular with community members, Auger said, as people were looking to learn about Indigenous history and find creative ways to express themselves.
With youth and children, surprise bags and kits have been in demand.
In December, the library started offering surprise bags and kits for adults and children. Auger said that increased circulation and the number of people getting library cards. The response from the community has been positive as people are craving fun experiences.
“We used to have programs all the time at the library, so this is an alternative program. It’s more of a passive approach to programming,” she said. “We’re pivoting.”
Demers said it’s been challenging to engage children and youth to participate in online programming as some sessions are not interactive or kids don’t want to spend more time on their computers.
However, hosting virtual events has its own benefits as they allow to reach more communities and attract a new base of younger patrons in their 20s and 30s, Demers and Auger said.
To encourage patrons to get outdoors and explore the community in a safe way during the pandemic, the library held several StoryWalks at local walking trails and at participating downtown businesses in Timmins and South Porcupine last year.
“That was the safest alternative to our programming because we abruptly stopped everything in March and this was a perfect opportunity,” Demers said.
Last year, the library prepared 2,474 curbside pick-up orders and added 6,001 new items to the collection. Library staff also answered 3,786 reference questions. The most common queries are regarding genealogy and using the digitized version of The Porcupine Advance, Auger said.
In response to the pandemic, the library extended checkout dates, offered e-library cards, removed overdue fines and quarantined lent materials. By quarantining, it means the returned items are put in special bins for 72 hours before they’re put back on the shelves.
March 1, the library started offering access to arts and crafts video classes on Creativebug.
In 2020, there were also eight graduates from the 1000 Books Before Kindergarten program. It's an early literacy program that encourages families and caregivers to read 1,000 books to their children before they go to kindergarten.
There were 311 new registrations for the program, 77 reading milestones achieved and over 12,750 books read.
Reading a book via Zoom may sound simple but there’s a lot of “labour intensive” work behind the scenes that goes into determining what is fair use and ensuring the credit is given to a publisher and an author.
“Just singing songs is copyright, so we have to be mindful of things that are in a public domain. These are the things we don’t think about but we have to do to make sure we can deliver our programs,” Auger said.
Last spring, the library became a second-prize winner in a national TD Summer Reading Club program. In November, the library also received the 2020 Downtown Timmins Not-For-Profit Award.
“This was an unexpected acknowledgement and a morale booster for our staff who work diligently at maintaining partnerships with various organizations in the city,” Demers said.
