Annual Report Changes: COVID Questions

This is the first of a few messages over the handful of changes to the annual report this year. Starting with the most obvious, there is a whole new section of 13 COVID related questions. They are Yes/No questions that have been added to the survey this year by IMLS in an attempt to gauge the impact of the COVD-19 pandemic on libraries and to get a snapshot of the myriad ways in which services were affected. You will find them below. If you feel that a particular question does not apply to your library, simply leave it blank.

If you have any questions about any of them, please don’t hesitate to ask. One clarification I can offer that has already come up, when it asks if library cards were issued electronically before and then during COVID-19, the telephone counts as “electronically.” Therefore, if patrons could sign up for a library card over the phone in either situation, you would answer, “Yes.” Other than that, I think they’re pretty straightforward.

·         Were Any Outlets Closed Due to COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Were Services Still Offered During COVID-19 Closures? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Add or Increase Access to Electronic Materials Due to COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Were Library Cards Issued Electronically Before COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Were Library Cards Issued Electronically During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Provide Reference Services During COVID-19 Closures? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Offer Outside/Curbside Service During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Offer Live Virtual Programs During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Create Recordings of Program Content During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Provide External WiFi Access Before COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Did the Library Provide External WiFi Access During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Was Access to External WiFi Increased During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

·         Was Staff Reassigned to Other Agencies/Organizations During COVID-19? Yes/No/Null

Tim Rohe
Reference Librarian/State Data Coordinator
New Hampshire State Library
603-271-2060
603-271-2144 (Reference Desk)
Timothy.M.Rohe@dncr.nh.gov (new!)