Rawlins Library: Thousands Served in 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic might have stymied Rawlins Municipal Library for the first few months of 2021, but the library still managed to serve thousands of people last year.
“It wasn’t until the end of March last year that we resumed our full services,” said Robin Schrupp, Rawlins Library Director. “For nearly a year, we’d limited our walk-in traffic and moved to online programming because of the pandemic.”
Nonetheless, the average number of patrons served each month in 2021 was more than 2,800. Schrupp says that’s a great demonstration of the importance of the library to the local community.
“When people think libraries, they think books. We do have a whole lot of reading material, but equally important is the programming and additional services provided by our staff,” said Schrupp. “We provide growth opportunities, learning opportunities, as well as social outlets and entertainment.”
Last year, the library offered more than 100 programs designed for pre-school children and dozens more for school-aged kids, teenagers and adults. While the library staff loves to welcome people to the library, through its outreach program, it also provides services to those who can’t visit in person.
“We deliver materials to assisted living facilities and nursing homes, and we continue to provide curbside service when requested,” said Abby Edwardson, Circulation Manager. “It’s really fun to provide the outreach. Our patrons are so happy to see us; it’s like we’re delivering gifts every time we go out.”
Last year, Rawlins Library delivered about 1,500 books to those who weren’t able to come to the library. It also loaned out about 65,500 books and other materials, maintains a collection of more than 125,000 books, eBooks, digital magazine and other items for research and entertainment, and provides a variety of free online continuing education programs for everything from sign language to QuickBooks to meal preparation.
For more information about library programs and activities visit, rawlinslibrary.org.