Halifax Public Libraries staff sort snack packs to distribute safely to library patrons
COURTESY OF HALIFAX PUBLIC LIBRARIES
BEFORE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC shuttered libraries across the country in March 2020, the Calgary Public Library was working toward launching a new program: a community wellness desk that would offer free support for mental health and addiction issues at its central branch. But after libraries closed as part of the lockdown and the impact of pandemic restrictions on mental health became known, the library decided to move ahead more quickly than planned, says interim CEO Sarah Meilleur.