The Post-Pandemic Library Handbook

Reviews / Votes

Todaro previously authored three books on emergency management for libraries, but even she wasn't prepared for the unique challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. By adapting processes and procedures from other types of emergencies, pandemic-specific information from other industries, and best practices developed on the fly as the situation unfolded, she was not only able to respond to the immediate crisis but also to reflect on the way forward....The information is customizable for various types of libraries, and each chapter ends with a section addressing adaptations for small and solo libraries. A solid guide to post-pandemic library emergency management. * Booklist * During this time of catastrophic global upheaval, we marveled at the nimble businesses and organizations that rapidly reassessed and re-focused their operations and services to address customer needs. This book by Julie Todaro is a masterful blueprint of the thinking, decisions, and actions necessary to prepare all leaders and managers to succeed in an unprecedented environment. With an abundance of library examples, charts, and insightful tips, Todaro's wisdom applies to all public and private entities that have been challenged during this emergency and realize that organizational change must occur continuously and systematically to ensure future success. As a recently retired executive of an association serving thousands of members, I wish that this foundational book had been available to my board, staff, and members! -- Patricia H. Smith, retired executive director, Texas Library Association Julie Todaro once again draws on her extensive knowledge and success in working with numerous types and sizes of libraries in these difficult times of crisis. She is sharing her expertise, as she always has, in her special supportive way so that we can all learn to cope, maintain and excel.

This is a must-have for all library directors in medium to small public libraries. It is especially poignant today while we are all dealing with this constantly changing COVID world. -- Susan S. Mann, director Hillsboro City Library, Texas Library Association president 2015-2016, Tocker Foundation board member The Post-Pandemic Library Handbook offers readers, likely all library managers at some level or other, a wealth of insights. I am a school librarian who spent my career in solo or small situations; this book is just as helpful to me as to a director of a large library of any type. The first reason for any librarian to read this book is that the world is not done with pandemics, and is not likely to have another hundred-year hiatus (taking the 1918 flu as the start). Despite the density of the content, the book is effectively short and quite readable but brings detailed focus to every aspect of library service from the frontline workers to the back-of-house technical services employees with many very straight-forward tables to break points for consideration into bite-sized chunks. For many school librarians, we are everything from front-line to back-of-house as solo managers of a small space. Todaro offers a section of every chapter that translates the big concepts to be approachable in condensed situations like school libraries. The underlying message I take no matter the size of your library is to remain true to your mission, vision, and values and to keep a consistent tone to all communications EVEN in the midst of the likely chaos of pandemic news streams.
The opening chapter "If We Had Been Ready" is an apt beginning which repeats as a section of every following chapter as a reminder to readers to think about what they had in winter 2020 and how they wish it had been better: more flexible, more forward thinking, more aware of public-health, mental health and self-care, and all the other topics around our actual work.
There is also the need for constant re-assessment of what is working and what is not. While this is important every day in every library, the necessity of such constant awareness in crisis situations is increased. And that accountability needs to be recorded for analysis when the dust settles some months/years in the future. Written records of what worked when and how it needed to change as the months wore on will be incredibly useful as libraries build their crisis plans for future eventualities.
I was especially struck by the discussion of facilities needs then, now and moving forward. In thinking of the REALM studies of how long the COVID virus remained viable on various circulating resources, it should come as no surprise that as library furniture needs to be replaced and spaces redesigned, all surfaces will need to be cleanable and social distancing considerations kept in mind. The days of comfortable upholstery and tight office spaces for many workers are gone. And Todaro is clear this adaptation will be slow and ongoing - libraries don't redesign anything very often given our tight budgets.
Her final chapter "Returning to Begin Again" includes personal experiences which bring pandemic concerns home to readers. Any of her reflections could be anyone of us, or one of our patrons. These considerations bear attention NOW, as we (hopefully) finish with COVID19 and before we must face whatever is coming next. The point of this book is that planning ahead is our friend, and will serve us and our school communities well going forward. -- Dorcas Hand, retired school librarian The Post-Pandemic Library Handbook by Julie Todaro dives right into the deep end of today's library world to shed light on the various and complex problems in leading and managing library organizations by comparing standard and emergency practices. The preface and introduction provide the how's and why's the work was undertaken and method for presentation that takes place in the next twelve chapters. Todaro's experiences in working, managing, and leading across the profession in school, academic, and public libraries coupled with experience in teaching and education have produced a work that is insightful and covers the many problems, both the similar and the unique, that we face or have faced. Julie Todaro would be a great resource to have on hand and a fine go-to reference for various problems a librarian will encounter throughout their career. * Technical Services Quarterly * The book includes a wealth of detail, and it is well set-out, clearly written and quite readable, with many examples and tables setting out issues and recommendations and summarizing before-after- change situations. It is of course US-focused (particularly the resources appendix), with an intended audience of US library managers and their staff, but many of the issues and recommendations apply in other places. Although this book focuses on the COVID pandemic, its content can be adapted for other contexts and it is recommended to administrators, library managers and staff as a practical guide to crisis-preparedness. * Journal of the Australian Library and Information Association *