By: Mya Rochester, Lion’s Eye Staff Writer, mar6794@psu.edu   

   

Penn State Brandywine’s Vairo Library is doing all they can to make sure to provide the most help for Brandywine students, whether in-person or remotely, and keeping them safe this year because of COVID-19.   

The library is experiencing many changes this year due to the coronavirus. This raises many questions, like, “If I am completely virtual will I still receive the same help from the library as students on campus?” “If I am completely online will I still receive the same resources from the library as other students who aren’t learning remotely?” “How safe is it to go to the library during the pandemic?” The answer is that the Vairo Library is still planning to help Brandywine students stay as safe as possible whether remotely or in person.   

During the COVID-19 pandemic, students can still check out books. To prevent the spread of germs through shared books, the library has closed the books stacks, meaning students cannot browse the library’s materials like they did before the virus hit. The library is offering students the ability to browse the library catalog online, and through this online process students can place a hold on a book. If the book has been used before, there is a 96-hour-quarantine for the book. The library staff uses gloves as well when they are taking a book off the shelf. When the student is ready to pick up the book, they can go to the library to retrieve it.    

Along with the quarantining of books, the staff is also keeping the library area well sanitized and enforcing social distancing. The students visiting the Vairo Library are given wipes to sanitize the area where they are sitting. Additionally, the library staff clean, and sanitize the technology that students sign out such as calculators, phone chargers, and Chromebooks. The library generally still has a lot of room for students.   

Although the library staff are trying to maintain normalcy during this virtual year for those who visit in-person, to help maintain social distance they have moved and taped off furniture, to prevent groups from staying in the library. They have also closed off the study rooms, and due to air circulation mandates, the Media Commons spaces, such as recording studios and the One Button studio, are closed. Tutoring through the Brandywine Academic Commons is now offered virtually as well.  

“It’s much quieter,” Teresa Slobuski, head librarian at the Vairo Library said when asked about the biggest change between this virtual year and previous years. There have been less students coming to the library due to the social distance measures enacted.  

Even though there are many changes, the library is still able to help students with their academic needs, and the library personnel are working hard to be accommodating. The library also has an open Zoom room during common hour and staff are available for individual appointments.  

The library is still available to students this semester. Plan a visit—in person or remotely.