In normal times, Colette Johnson spent her days at downtown St. Paul's Central Library answering the reference phone line and helping patrons use the library website. Now, the library associate is spending her shift at a sewing machine, stitching together cloth masks for fellow city workers.
With St. Paul Public Libraries branches closed due to COVID-19, library staffers have been redeployed as garment workers to help with the city's pandemic response. Johnson is one of about two dozen who have volunteered to sew 2,000 masks for city employees by Wednesday.
