Adjustment is the name of the game with COVID-19. Organizations, business and more all have made operational changes as the pandemic progressed. One organization that faced the challenges as they came was the Mexico-Audrain County Library District.

One of the first changes done by the library was to its summer reading program, which ended recently. Activities associated with the program typically are held at library branches throughout the county, but they all were canceled. Luckily, a few were able to be conducted virtually, Library Director Christal Bruner said. Some other changes happened after library branches were able to reopen in May.

“We had to adjust our occupancy rate at all our five branches,” she said. “Another thing we had to adjust, was trying to purchase [protective equipment] supplies that were very, very scarce. We were able to get all of the supplies we needed once we opened up.”

The number of patrons visiting the library continues to increase, Bruner said. With this, library staff continue to clean surfaces multiple times per day, she said. Patrons, for now, are not required to wear masks, but library staff are.

Any returned materials also are sanitized and quarantined for at least 24 hours before going back into circulation.

“We are trying to do things to reassure the public that they can come back to the library,” Bruner said. “We are just happy people are coming back. We have missed all the activity and we are trying some new and different things and we hope people are liking what we are doing.”

While the official summer reading program has ended, the library has decided to continue a similar program for adults. Patrons were able to log their hours with an application called Read Squared. They will continue to use that application for the fall reading program. There also will be a winter reading program, which starts in January.

Story times continue to be offered virtually through the library’s Facebook page. Brenda Gower with the Farber branch typically reads Wednesday mornings and afternoons, Aletha Taylor with the Mexico branch will read Wednesday afternoons, too and Crystal McCurdy of the Vandalia branch does her readings on Thursday mornings. Branches in Martinsburg and Laddonia also have story times, but because of fewer participants or the ability to social distance, can hold their events in-house.

“We are trying to make sure the children are getting the stories and things they are used to getting,” Bruner said.

Because so much has transitioned to online the past few months, the library expanded its digital offerings through Hoopla. The application has a digital collection of music, movies, ebooks, audiobooks, television series, movies and comic books.

A tea event typically held at the Martinsburg branch was canceled for this year, but the library hopes to hold the event in February.

“We are looking forward to that,” Bruner said.

Another program to receive changes was the after-school book and art program the library coordinates with the Mexico Parks and Recreation Department. Children would come to the library where a story is read and then they work on a craft project.

“What the city is doing, they are having someone read a story [online] and then after the story is read, [children] can come to the library and pick up their craft project,” Bruner said.

The first of the stories was read Sept. 10. It is a monthly program that will take place through the early spring, Bruner said.

“We are happy we are able to do that virtually,” she said. “We are glad to be able to do that.”

Another program for the youngest youth is 1,000 books before kindergarten. The library plans to start this program in October. The library still is coordinating its plans to be able to offer prizes to children and parents as they reach reading goals.

“We are hoping to announce that a little later on this month or the first of next month,” Bruner said.

The Vandalia branch is holding a special event connected to the World Origami Days. The event runs from Oct. 24 through Nov. 13 at the Vandalia library. Entries must be submitted in three categories — adult, 17 and up; children, six to 16; and library staff — by Oct. 22. Patrons will vote on the best submission from those three groups with prizes awarded Nov. 17. More information is available by calling 573-594-6600.

“People can make all type of origami projects,” Bruner said. “There is a registration form that is at the Vandalia library.”