Public service

This scene reminded me the other day: our public library is still fulfilling one of its missions -- providing free access to information to all. Yes, the SFPL unsecured wifi network remains available outside this entrance which has been locked since mid-March. If you already had a library card, you had good access to some electronic materials; but we miss our libraries.

There have been rumors that the library might reopen one of these days. In mid-July, the City Librarian told the Library Commission that he hoped to start up "SFPL to Go" in a couple of locations. Patrons could pick up and return books, DVDs, and other physical materials. Libraries in other nearby counties already have curbside pick up. What's holding our library back?

It turns out the librarians and other employees are busy. Chronicle columnist Heather Knight got the story:

According to City Librarian Michael Lambert, his staff as of July 1 comprised an eye-popping 45% of San Francisco’s disaster service workers.

Anybody hired by the city of San Francisco can be redeployed in a time of crisis, and the city has relied heavily on librarians, since all libraries have been closed since March and they otherwise had little to do.

Lambert oversees a staff of 560 people, which includes 213 librarians as well as library security, custodians and library pages who sort and shelve books. They’ve packed food at food pantries. They’ve worked at hotels for homeless people. They’ve served as contact tracers. 

 I suspect that library skills are a good fit for contact tracing. But let's hope the library staff are able to get back to their accustomed roles soon.