Personal Accounts

By the Mount Prospect Public Library Staff

In March of 2020, the Mount Prospect Public Library — along with the rest of the world — had our lives turned upside down by the global COVID-19 pandemic. We closed the library buildings on March 15, and immediately started figuring out how to provide library services to our community during lockdown. Our goal was to continue to allow the community to use the library, even if it was in different ways than usual.

In the last days before we closed in March, patrons checked out all that they could carry to prepare for lockdown. “Take all you want, no limits,” we said, and we removed all fines during the closure. In June of 2020, the Board of announced a Fine Amnesty Day, clearing all MPPL fines – even pre-pandemic fines – from patron accounts. The library officially went permanently fine-free in April 2021.

One of the first changes we made in March was expanding and increasing our wireless

internet signal. This allowed anyone to use Wi-Fi in front of the building or in the parking garage to be available 24/7.

Staff answered chat, text, e-mail and phone questions and offered Reference by Appointment sessions from home while the library building was closed. We implemented online self-registration for library cards so that patrons could access our popular online services while the building and its physical collections were unavailable. Within days of lockdown, community members discovered electronic resources and services using their library card from home, checking out thousands of e-media items.

While buildings were closed, we knew that some patrons needed access to computers. In June 2020, we offered computer use by appointment. This allowed patrons to use a computer and scan and print documents.

We moved our programming to the virtual realm, creating programs for all ages on Zoom and YouTube. The library distributed outreach craft kits to connect with children and families throughout the community, and to share information about library programs and services.

While we were closed, we built one of our most successful and defining services in 2020: Parking Lot Pickup. This brand-new service was created from the ground up at both the Main Library and South Branch. This key service safely placed library materials into the hands of our patrons, and we received immediate positive feedback from the community when we launched the service on June 1, 2020.

We reopened the buildings on July 6 with many safety measures: PPE, masking, social distancing, capacity limits, and time limits in the buildings. Over the summer, patrons continued to visit us safely and we held a variety of socially distanced outdoor events at the library and various parks.

With the fall 2020 COVID wave, the library buildings once again closed to patrons on November 16. Library staff quickly pivoted back to Parking Lot Pickup, phone, text, chat, and e-mail reference services, and virtual programs. We re-opened to the public on February 1, 2021. 

The library is fortunate to have professional, forward-thinking, and dedicated staff. It is their efforts, ideas, and actions that enabled the library to provide the many creative solutions to pandemic challenges. They have proven to have the motivation, innovation, and inspiration to make the impossible, possible.

The staff of St. Raymond Catholic Church, 301 S. I-Oka Ave., worked hard throughout the pandemic to provide as many services and as much outreach as they could, despite severe restrictions from the Archdiocese of Chicago, based on health department guidance.  

Music, for instance, has continued to play an integral part in St. Raymond’s parish life.

“The biggest changes are that we have not been allowed to have choirs for the duration of the pandemic thus far and we have had to reduce the number of instrumentalists we would normally have,” explained Brian Fife, St. Raymond’s Director of Music. “Initially, we were limited to just a cantor and piano, but we have been allowed to add additional personnel on a very limited basis, as each person needs to be socially distanced.”  

During April 2021 Fife said that songs are still sung at some points during weekend masses, “but we try to avoid singing when there is movement in the pews, such as people coming up for communion or leaving church at the end.” At these times, the music is all instrumental.  

Because of the pandemic, Fife said that they don’t actively encourage singing in the pews and people are instructed to leave their masks on. So, it would seem that the very reason for music ministry — which is to lead and encourage the faith community in sung worship — is defeated. But that has not been the case.  “People are still expressing their faith in song.  It’s just a lot quieter, or they are doing it at home while watching the live stream.”

“Despite the changes, we have done our best to provide music that can encourage people in their faith, and though it is vastly different, music can still be a point of inspiration and encouragement to people in their faith. And judging by the response we’ve gotten, I believe that this has been happening,” he continued.

“We may not be able to proclaim our faith in song as an assembly as robustly and boldly as we did before the pandemic, but as the title of one of the songs we sing aptly expresses it, “How Can I Keep From Singing?”  Our communal faith experience may have outwardly changed, but I have seen the resiliency of faith more than ever during these challenging times.”

Communications have also been particularly important during this trying time. 

“I started at St Raymond in November of 2019, just a few short months before the pandemic started.  I was just getting my feet wet and learning the behind-the-scenes of all that’s involved in running a church.  I’m still learning,” said Brandi Sulak, Communications Coordinator. “The job description definitely didn’t include live streaming or audio mixing, both of which are now a favorite part of my job.  I love a challenge!”

“From the beginning of the pandemic, we worked to grow people’s faith by livestreaming Mass,” she explained. “The St. Raymond Parish took the initiative and started to stream weekend and Wednesday masses live for everyone, a part of our congregation or not, to continue to flourish in our faith despite the barrier that Covid-19 brought.”

“I also continued to create and share the parish bulletin, which brings information to the parish and updates them on the church, on the community and on the world. I soon realized that these two things brought the church community together more, despite the separation throughout the globe.”

“We also remodeled our website to be more user-friendly. Every live stream, every podcast, every zoom event: all located right there for individuals to discover, use and enjoy. That was definitely one of our successes during this time and I hope it continues to be one moving forward.”

“Overall, this pandemic, although painful and heartbreaking, has really brought the St. Raymond Parish together on a new level and I am forever grateful for all it has brought for me,” she continued.

“Personally, this time has been full of creativity, struggles and lots and lots of days wearing comfy clothes. But, as the months progressed, my family and I tried to think outside of the box as to how to preoccupy our minds while in quarantine. Along with all of our arts and crafts, new movie and television finds, and outdoor activities, we also found a new way to study and learn about the Lord. Especially during Easter last year, my family and I took a deep dive into what the holiday really meant,” Sulak added.

By Bonnie Eiffes / Administrative Assistant
St. Emily School

On Saturday, March 7th we gathered for the annual Trivia Night sponsored by St. Emily School. We had no idea it would be the final open event of the year. On Friday, March 13, we learned that school would be closed indefinitely, due to the pandemic. 

The annual all-school May Crowning event went virtual. Each 8th grade student submitted a video of a presentation of flowers to Our Lady. 

Upcoming events, including the annual Track-a-Thon, Student Recognition Night and prekindergarten, kindergarten and 8th grade graduation programs and ceremonies will be adjusted to comply with CDC and Archdiocese Covid protocols.