As the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Public Library has to adapt to a different world. The library is participating in the City of Los Angeles’ Disaster Service Worker program, where staff can volunteer to assist in local initiatives to help vulnerable populations during this devastating crisis.
I volunteered to take two shifts at a COVID-19 testing site in Westwood. The site was operated by CORE Response, a humanitarian organization that partners with local governments and private organizations to provide testing in virus hotspots. During my time at the site, I helped distribute COVID-19 tests and participated in the check-in process.
I quickly came to realize how important it was to think on your feet. The daily schedule was drawn up on a dry-erase board because shifts were constantly being reconfigured. The site’s operations were incredibly efficient and professional, but that meant the workers had to be willing to go wherever and whenever they were needed. To succeed, you had to adapt.
Luckily for me, adaptability is central to the modern library. At the Will & Ariel Durant Branch Library, we pride ourselves on being able to change to serve the public. When I took my job as a Messenger Clerk, I never imagined I’d be filming a Halloween parade, distributing sandwiches, or helping kids put the finishing touches on a LEGO house. But at the library, our mission is to say yes.
Adaptability requires a willingness to reimagine resources-UCLA’s Jackie Robinson Stadium parking lots were repurposed to work as our testing site. But in the same fashion, adaptability requires a willingness to reimagine ourselves. How can we make ourselves useful right now? What skills can we lend to our team? How has our past prepared us for such an uncertain future?
The next phase of library operations is an open question. The only safe bet is that normal is very far away. However, I firmly believe that the library is in a good position: we have many resources, we have excellent staff, and we’re working in the most dynamic and exciting city in the world. Our patrons have always been here for us, and we aim to return the favor. The library will always adapt.
Lessons in Adaptability
A fascinating depiction of the complicated relationship between humans and corvids. Crows and ravens may not be the fastest or prettiest of birds, but they have modified their behavior and leveraged their intelligence to thrive in the modern world.
Madeline Miller gives the mythological Circe her own story. Over the course of an immortal lifespan, Circe must constantly change to survive. Her mystical powers are legendary, but they pale in comparison to her force of will and her ability to adapt.
The true story of the development of the Oxford English Dictionary, and the life of one of its most valued contributors–a convicted murderer living in an insane asylum. The dictionary project gave new life to a broken man and served as the perfect outlet for his prodigious talents.
A gripping account of the Los Angeles Lakers’ Showtime era. Despite big egos and bad behavior, the Lakers ultimately worked together to achieve greatness and build a dynasty.
Andrei Kaplan leaves New York City to return to his birthplace, Moscow, to take care of his grandmother. Modern Russia presents a unique challenge for someone caught between two cultures but offers Andrei an opportunity to take stock of his life and figure out who he is meant to be.