Public Libraries as Social Infrastructure During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study from Prince George's County, Maryland in Community-driven Service Innovation View Digital Media

Workshop Presentation
Nicholas Alexander Brown,  Roberta Phillips  

Public libraries in the United States are essential providers of social infrastructure for local communities, from offering borrowable technology and educational programs to helping immigrants obtain COVID-19 vaccines. The Prince George's County Memorial Library System in Maryland has emerged as a statewide and national leader in innovative service design during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on workforce development, health services, virtual learning opportunities for all ages, and expansive race and social equity programming to support community-wide efforts to combat systemic racism and inequities. PGCMLS' work during the pandemic, which is values-driven and rapidly responsive to community needs, serves as a model for public libraries, cultural heritage organizations, local government agencies, higher education institutions, and social services organizations around the world to empower individuals (no matter their backgrounds) to discover their potential and attain their personal achievement goals. The PGCMLS model for cultivating and expanding social infrastructure is particularly noteworthy because it exemplifies how public resources can combine with corporate, non-governmental, and private organizations to anticipate and address the pressing demands of our time (within budget austerity conditions). With a special emphasis on sustainability, PGCMLS' approach to meeting the changing patterns and cultures of consumption has demonstrated immediate and tangible social impact on key local population groups, including Spanish speakers (19.5% of the population), recent immigrants (20% of the population), English Language Learners (30% of the school-aged population), and returning residents who have been recently released from incarceration.