4 Nor th Carolina Libraries Volume 81 2023/24 D R A FT Did you know that North Carolina Libraries is now in its 81st year? The journal began in 1942, during World War II, to encourage “unity in action” and “professional zeal” among members of the North Carolina Library Association. In the introduction, editor John J. Lund spells out these six goals for the new publication: 1. To serve as the official medium of communication between the Association and its membership. 2. To stimulate group solidarity among librarians as a means to developing the NCLA…. 3. To serve as a clearing house for library news of interest to college and university, school, and public librarians…. 4. To provide a clearing house for vital and timely public relation suggestions…. 5. To interpret data now being assembled annually by state library agencies and to make this data available to librarians and others interested in planning a program of library development. 6. To provide an outlet for the publication of significant articles dealing with professional problems. Sharing Association and library-related news, collaboratively addressing in its pages shared library issues, and encouraging professional solidarity among North Carolina librarians remain important goals for North Carolina Libraries. I embark on this interim role in humility and with optimism. This is a historic journal, and I follow great editors whose work I admire. Although I have not previously served as the editor of a journal, I have been on the editorial board for some years now, and am optimistic that others can provide help and advice to keep North Carolina Libraries running smoothly. In particular, I am grateful to Michael Reece for his continued work with the Open Journal System soft- ware and his continued role as layout editor. I ap- preciate Al Jones’s continued willingness to serve on the editorial board and as book review editor (and hopefully contribute more articles on library history). Our existing editorial board members have served for multiple years, and are already providing valuable guidance. Most of our talented reviewers have indi- cated their willingness to continue, for which I am also grateful. I appreciate contributions by Vanessa Irvin, Joseph Nicholson and Savannah Lake, Allison Kaefring, Ronnie Woodward and Joe Barricella, and our NCLA President Libby Stone. And many thanks to colleagues Jennifer Daugherty and Kate Hill, who have stepped in and stepped up to provide columns for this issue. Our journal began during the second World War, a time of tremendous change in our country, with wide- ranging impacts in many areas of life. In his last edito- rial, Ralph wrote about the variety of services libraries provided during the COVID-19 pandemic, another time of tremendous change with wide-ranging im- pacts. Ralph’s essay pointed out many strategies librar- ies tried to provide services for our patrons, ranging from wifi hotspots to COVID-19 test kits and PPE to online book clubs, and yes, in one instance even arranging for pigmy goat therapy for one university library. He ended with the observation that “it will be interesting to see what future challenges libraries will face....” We continue to face challenges, and find in- novative ways to serve our patrons, and it is my hope that North Carolina Libraries will continue to be the medium of communication, clearing house, and out- let that our state’s library community can depend on. WM. JOSEPH THOMAS INTERIM EDITOR Remembering Our Purpose Letters to the editor should be addressed to the editor and mailed to: Joyner Library, 1000 E Fifth Street, Greenville, NC 27858, or by email to editor@nclaonline.org. We reserve the right to edit all submissions. If you are interested in writing for North Carolina Libraries or would like consideration for news and product information, please send brief information to the editor at the above address. mailto:editor%40nclaonline.org?subject= Covid-19: Positives for the School and Public Libraries