So, let me bring up the elephant in the room: the new coronavirus. Let’s face it, COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind, and while it isn’t a pleasant topic, it’s out there, and it’s better to be informed than not. I’m sure that the publishing world will be abuzz with coronavirus-related books in the coming months, but until then readers can learn more about viruses, epidemics and pandemics through previously published works.
For current information on COVID-19, be sure to take a look at the library’s website where we have posted a page of coronavirus information resources at www.fvrl.org/coronavirus. It’s a rapidly changing story, so keep checking back for updates. Along with other public agencies, we are reminding staff and patrons to use the common-sense precautions suggested by the CDC and state health department: washing hands, covering your mouth, staying home if you are sick, etc.
As I mentioned earlier, it’s better to be informed than to be afraid of the unknown, so I’ve put together a reading list focused on previous outbreaks including the Ebola crisis and the influenza pandemic of 1918. We have much to learn from earlier viral outbreaks just as there will be much to learn from the current coronavirus situation.
• “Crisis in the Red Zone: The Story of the Deadliest Ebola Outbreak in History, and of the Outbreaks to Come” by Richard Preston. (Call number: 614.5885 PRESTON; also available as eBook and eAudiobook)
