Eugene, OR- Following mounting concern for public safety during the current pandemic, a local Little Free Library is paving the way for appropriate crisis management after issuing a more comprehensive Covid-19 strategy than the current White House administration.
“As soon as we realized the risk the virus posed to our community, we sprang into action,” said Diane Williams, steward of the small box she put on her front lawn and filled with books people can borrow at their leisure. “In early march, while Trump was downplaying the severity of the virus, we taped a bottle of hand sanitizer to the side and we’ve continued to update our policies as our knowledge of the virus expands.”
While the White House continues to ignore CDC guidelines and push towards reopening states, Willams’ hand painted 3X3 foot book container has become a bastion of information and safety measures. While continuing to serve as a trading post for the neighbourhood’s unwanted golf manuals and self-published Twilight erotica, the library has also begun leaving six feet markers on the sidewalk so visitors can practice physical distancing as well as offering curb side pick-up.
When reached for comment, U.S. President Donald Trump was quick to downplay the importance of Williams’ efforts, calling her quaint, handmade structure a “shack” and annoyingly over-emphasizing the “little” part of Little Free Library. Despite this criticism, Williams’ compassionate approach has been hailed a rousing success within her community.
“Normally we just sort of look out of morbid curiosity to see what new Dean Koontz books and religious tracts have been left” said neighbour Saul Herring. “But now, it’s become a useful resource for information- when Trump endorsed the consumption of hydroxychloroquine, The library posted a hand written notice advising against this with a list of possible health risks in their plexiglass window. It even had a little hand drawn butterfly!”
Williams downplayed her actions as something “everyone [other than the current President] would do.” She also added that she is hoping to increase her response by tacking up a list of fun and safe activities for the neighbourhood kids to the side of the library, and by administering at least 2,000 COVID-19 tests a day.
