Lower Macungie Library ready, willing, and able to support its community during pandemic

Written by on April 28, 2021

Lower Macungie Library ready, willing, and able to support its community during pandemic

By Emma Eggleston / Lehigh University

April 28, 2021

Image by ElasticComputeFarm from Pixabay 

The Lower Macungie Library was one of the few public services with resources prepared for a shift to virtual life in March 2020, at the start of the pandemic. That’s because they’ve been building a digital collection for years.

Director Kathee Rhode says they’ve seen a rise in the use of those online materials during the pandemic.

Rhode says reading can help people cope with the stress of COVID-19.

“Right now, I’m listening to Barack Obama’s new book and listening to him read that is astounding so I would recommend that,” Rhode says. 

Despite the uptick in the use of the digital collection, Rhodes says the library has seen an overall drop in readership and circulation over the past year. 

Nevertheless, she says the community continues to support the library by funding passed through a referendum by the township last fall.

This story is part of a collaboration between WLVR News and Lehigh University’s Department of Journalism & CommunicationView all student stories.

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