Being in Two Places at Once

摘要

ANYONE ELSE READY FOR 2020 TO BE OVER? It's been a challenging year, no question about it. The impact of COVID-19 not only on libraries but also its effect on our entire work and non-work lives has raised issues concerning health (mental and physical), scientific research, the economy, and news. The recognition that racism is far from being eradicated from societies around the globe has led to many public actions and pronouncements. Librarians who are struggling with reopening their libraries or coping with continuing to provide services if their libraries remain closed are busier than ever. They are pulled in different directions, essentially being required to be in two places at once: available for library users at the hours convenient for them while keeping some semblance of normal working hours. You could view this as having an online presence plus a "pseudo-physical" one. Adding to the pressure? Conflicting views on how best to keep staff and library users healthy, calls for libraries to be on the front lines of combatting racism and educating about racism, and budget concerns stemming from the recessionary economy. It's not a pretty picture.