There’s a lot to show off after a year in hibernation.

In March of 2020 we closed the library. We thought it would be a two-week closure, a month at the most. We sent staff to work from home and those that were left in the building got really good at answering the phone and running up and down the stairs for curbside deliveries. Two weeks turned into months and soon we wondered if we’d ever open. And if we did, would the whole place be encased in plexiglass? Would we be playing dystopian announcements over the intercom: “Please remain 6 feet from other patrons to prevent the spread of the virus.”

It was starting to feel very weird and, although our phones were ringing off the hook, our desire to serve the public felt neglected. Slowly, we began to make changes. We hauled things to the dumpster – but nothing that will be missed. (Ever notice the empty filing cabinet in the middle of the library? Well, you won’t anymore.) These little changes motivated bigger changes. We started thinking about how the library could best be used and things community members had requested that we get.

Suddenly it became obvious. Behind closed doors we could make changes we had always considered and even some we hadn’t. Without the public in the building, we could make a big fat mess of the library – and did we ever.

First, we tore out the computer desks scattered about and set up two long banks of tables, like a college media lab. Now when you come for a technology class, your instructor can share her screen at the front of the class, which is much more effective than having her walk around visiting each student’s individual computer.

Next, we tackled the library meeting room. In the last seven years, three couples have been officially married in this room. We appreciate people who love the library enough to get married here, but when they look back on their wedding photos who wants a backdrop with no books, beige walls, and ancient furniture that no amount of shampooing could bring back to its original color?

A room worthy of nuptials needed a theme … something literary. So, what’s the best-selling book series of all time and which of the library’s kids’ programs never fail to max out? It was an easy decision to transform the library meeting room into the Harry Potter Reading Room. In this room you are welcome to study, read, gather with a small group, or conduct important literary business. Sit comfortably on black pleather furniture, surrounded by Harry Potter artifacts, and bask in the glow of the extra magical golden snitch lamp. Maybe, get married.

With the meeting room finished, the computer lab ready for use, and COVID numbers in Umatilla County still growing, we needed a new project. Patrons often asked us if we had a study room available in the library. We did not, but we understood the value of having one. With the aid of the Pendleton Friends of the Library and the Rotary Club of Pendleton, we took the opportunity to turn our little-used newspaper room into a study room. Those in need of a quiet place to work can now reserve the room for one-hour increments while having full access to the library’s other resources.

Library visitors can now use the facility in new ways, but we are equally as excited about new items you can take out of the library. In addition to offering books and movies, we now host a collection of things. Your Pendleton Public Library card allows you to check out the following for a week at a time:

American Girl Dolls

Nintendo Switch Lite

Video games for Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, and Nintendo Switch

Knitting needles

A Podcasting kit, including microphone

Google Chromebooks

Wifi hotspots

A telescope

Museum passes

On Monday, March 15, 2021, after a nearly 12-month closure, we re-opened our doors to the public. I wish we could tell you that there was a rush akin to Walmart on Black Friday, but truth be told it was a slow day and it’s still pretty slow. Most phone calls responses include, “No, seriously, we are really open this time.”

It will take a while for people to learn they can come back, but when they do, we will be cheering from the front desk, overjoyed to give tours and point out our favorite ways the library has improved.

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Jennifer Costley is director of the Pendleton Public Library and mother of two toddlers.