Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1257758
e Rutherford County Library system is offering a variety of services to the Tennessee communities it serves, starting with a curbside service. A patio computer lab is also part of a phased reopening. en there are youth organizations like Girls Inc. Stephanie Malone, the nonprofit's executive director, said that throughout the crisis, the staff learned the girls they work with needed some fun and interactive physical activities after sitting in front of a computer many hours each week. Girls Inc. put together workout classes, story time, dance challenges, and other activities the girls could do together. Even though it is still through the Zoom platform, the girls were able to be physically active, Malone said. Plans for an onsite summer camp, and possibly, 'Camp in a Box' kits are underway. 'Camp in a Box' would allow staff to put together activities for the girls and deliver the boxes to their doorstep, then facilitate online. "e girls have been through a lot. It's important for us to remember that, where we are, it's not necessarily about being innovative but to provide simple, fun activities to give them a sense of normalcy," Malone said. "We also have to let them know that, although we are physically not with them, we are remaining connected; we miss them and support them virtually." Providing educational resources outside of school has been another strong focus. When the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library closed on March 16, it began ramping up its electronic resources, said Melanie ornton, public relations director. Librarians began filming an online story time and creating online crafting projects for kids. e Hoopla service was implemented, which provides e-books, audio books, television shows, and movies. "Within the first month of the Hoopla service, we saw over 2,000 downloads," ornton said. In the first week of May, the library began a phased approach to reopening, with a curbside pickup program, which involves an online reservation form. "We found that the best way to have no contact and maintain the 6-foot distance during pickup is to have the staff member put [items] on a table, and people get out of their car and pick [them] up," she said. "In the first three days, 16,000 items were picked up curbside." e library expects to enter Phase 2 of reopening in June, when people can come into the building but, like retail, at only half of the building's capacity. r e d f c u.o r g | 9 Huntsville Hospital Respiratory Therapists. Huntsville-Madison County Public Library offered curbside pickup.