A UVM Office of Engagement grant to purchase air filtration and purification equipment for selected libraries has enabled them to create a safer environment for both employees and patrons and continue to offer a valuable service to the community.
Relevance
Public libraries, essential to the proper functioning of a democracy, are working hard to serve patrons and their communities during the pandemic. In recent months, this has included efforts to open or partially open library spaces for employees and patrons. Maintaining air quality is a challenge, limiting the space available for use by staff, and often entirely eliminating the ability to accommodate patrons. Recommended air purification equipment is not necessarily expensive, but library budgets are modest and were not created with a pandemic in mind.
Response
A grant from the UVM Office of Engagement was used to buy air filtration and purification equipment so that selected libraries could operate more fully. Following recommended science, the equipment enables library spaces to be safer, fortifying other accepted practices in managing the spread of COVID-19. The Vermont Department of Libraries published ventilation guidance and resources from which library directors made their equipment selections. The grant provided $22,989 toward the purchase and delivery of 54 portable air filtration and purification units for enclosed library spaces, and three mechanical modifications for ventilation and/or HVAC systems. In addition, the Office of Engagement awarded $1,000 for publicity items, including printing and postage of these materials for delivery to all benefiting libraries.
Results
The overall goal was to provide greater patron and community access due to higher assurances of safe air to breathe in Vermont public libraries. Librarians were very appreciative of the equipment and modifications and provided positive feedback about how the grant enabled them to create safer spaces for both employees and patrons and relieved the financial burden of purchasing the equipment themselves on limited library budgets. "The UVM grant allowed for the purchase of air purifiers for our building that would have been out of our reach financially," the library director at the Putney Public Library in southeastern Vermont explained. "In addition to social distancing and other safety measures, our staff is able to work together in the same room, and we know that we will be providing a higher level of safety when we welcome the public back into our building." The library director of the Alburgh Public Library in northern Vermont shared that, "With the winter season upon us, we had no way to properly circulate the air in the library. This grant enabled us to buy four HEPA air purifier units to improve air quality and circulation both upstairs and downstairs allowing for a safer workplace for our employees and patrons!" Other librarians commented on how safer spaces for both employees and visitors will allow greater patronage as not only can they open their libraries to the public again but that everyone can remain inside the building for longer periods of time.
Public Value Statement
The value of public libraries is indisputable. They are more than just a place to borrow books, access free educational resources, or use a computer. Libraries are a gathering place, a community hub, which are free, accessible, and safe for every member of the community. Patronage surged throughout the pandemic, challenging libraries to find innovative solutions to serve their communities. Funding for air filtration and purification equipment meant a safer work environment, allowing libraries to continue to meet the needs of their patrons while operating within COVID-19 guidelines.