Compassion in Libraries

The nature of libraries is changing as the world is changing. There is a concept called "the third place" which is that place that is not school or work and not home but  a third place that can be a refuge,  a place for gathering with friends, being entertained. Libraries can be this welcoming third place especially if it is conducted with compassion as a guiding tenet.

Compassion is not just for the public. It must include the staff. There are tools developed by business and education and faith-based entities that can be incorporated into the connective tissue of the library that can transform the experience of "library" into something valuable and sought after by all of the community.

One of the most empowering management places to stand is one of encouraging employees on the front lines to "Love everyone who comes in the door." Certainly a challenging command but libraries are one of the safe spaces in the world and the power to improve the life of someone who might be having the worst day is tremendous. To empower staff to this level of public service is to keep libraries a key place of service in the community--and one much appreciated!

COVID-19 is nothing we ever anticipated yet it has turned the entire world upside down. The ideas mentioned above in some ways apply to a world that doesn't exist at this time. They are describing the previous world where a handshake was not a potential death sentence for some people. It has also exposed many beliefs that people hold that may come as a surprise or may need to be evaluated in a different light. 

​The need for compassion is stronger than ever.