Collections for Our Community: A COVID-19 Response

February 2021 – Despite the six-month closure of Omaha Public Library’s twelve branches in 2020, digital resources remained available to library patrons. In fact, circulation of digital books dramatically increased between March and September of 2020. Because of the sudden spike in demand, the Omaha Public Library Foundation launched a four-fold increase in private dollars in 2020 to fund collections for the library.

The primary purpose of this new $200,000 fundraising campaign, Collections for Our Community: A COVID-19 Response, was to support the purchase of additional digital books for Omaha Public Library, with a portion of those dollars used to purchase printed books.

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Digital materials are valuable not only to library patrons for general recreation and research, but for parents, grandparents, and other caregivers who were guiding children through some version of remote learning. By year-end 2020, OPLF raised just under $175,000 toward the $200,000 goal for the digital books campaign. These funds increased OPL’s digital materials collection for patrons of all ages by nearly 10% (approximately 46,000 additional titles).

Due to increased funding for digital items, OPL’s wait time for digital books in 2020 was 18 days, far below OPL’s goal of 25 days. OPL’s 18-day wait time in 2020 was the second shortest of seven peer U.S. libraries, as reported by the digital books vendor, Overdrive.

Total checkouts of OPL’s digital materials increased by 34% in 2020 when compared to 2019 data. Also worth noting:

  • Children’s digital books saw a circulation increase of 93% in 2020 by OPL patrons.

  • Circulation of teen books increased by 26% in 2020.

  • Adult patrons checked out 23% more digital books when compared to 2019.

Although our libraries have fully opened to the public, our work continues. Please consider making an online donation today in support of this special fundraising project for Omaha Public Library: www.omahalibraryfoundation.org/donate

A gift of any size will have a significant impact in the digital and remote services Omaha Public Library provides patrons of all ages during this time of uncertainty -- and in the future.

We thank you for your past support of Omaha Public Library. We look forward to seeing you (and serving you in person) soon.    

For more information on this special fundraising campaign: foundation@omahalibrary.org or (402) 444-4589.