Supporting the Community in 2021
Over the past year Frederick County Public Libraries continued to evolve our services and resources to fit the challenging and changing needs of the community. We reopened our doors and changed our service model to provide both in-person and virtual services that our customers have come to depend on during the COVID pandemic. Throughout this year, we found new ways to accomplish our strategic priorities to build bridges, simplify access, and spark excitement.
We built new bridges and simplified access with the community by going fine free this year.
This change removed barriers for our customers and provided everyone with a clean slate. Libraries across the country embraced this change, and we are proud to update our policies and join this growing movement. Fines should not deter those who stand to benefit from the library’s resources and services, especially during difficult times.
Our staff also worked hard to spark excitement with outdoor and distanced storytimes and programming to continue to support the development of our youngest readers. We built a virtual program space with Discord, a popular online software, providing a place for our teens to digitally hang out, participate in library programming, and socialize. And we installed free outdoor wifi at all nine of our library branches to deliver broadband connections beyond our walls because we know many in our community lack access to high-speed internet.
Thanks to supporters like you, we are pleased to share this annual report which highlights new achievements and services to help Frederick County residents explore, invent, and transform.
This annual report encompasses our 2021 fiscal year which ran from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021.
In March, FCPL launched free public wifi outside of our nine branches and two bookmobiles. The signal reaches up to 150 to 200 feet outside of the library buildings, with unit placement tailored to each branch so that the public will have the broadest access possible outside the library's walls. The broadband connection offers high-speed and reliable streaming and downloads for all.