Jack Martin | Providence Public Library executive director
On March 16, 2020, Providence Public Library’s administrative team gathered in person for the last time in more than a year to brainstorm how to carry on the library’s mission during what we now know is a global health crisis of unprecedented scale. The decision? Outfit staff with everything needed to work from home so PPL could go completely virtual until it was safe to gather in person again.
One of PPL’s greatest strengths is the creativity of our staff and their willingness to collaborate, stay flexible, innovate and quickly adapt to change. Creating a work environment where this is possible was key to PPL’s growth before the pandemic and proved absolutely essential during it.
What have we learned?
Be responsive, not reactive, to change: Taking a proactive approach – and actively listening to and co-creating with our community – has allowed PPL to reach, support and enrich more Rhode Islanders than ever during the pandemic.
Embrace technology: Because of our teams’ expertise and willingness to experiment – and yes, play! – with technology, PPL operations never came to a halt. In fact, they have increased over the past 12 months.
Be authentic: PPL has not wavered from our core values, one of which is agency. Empowering staff to bring their full selves to work, creating space for vulnerability and self-care, and encouraging risk-taking and out-of-the-box solutions have enabled our team to remain resilient – and ultimately, highly effective.