Before the internet, the outbreak of a contagious disease would have left people cut off not only from each other but also from sources of entertainment - that's no longer the case.
Now, everyone from children to adults bored of staying inside can access books, movies and music online through their local library.
"People can do almost everything online that they can in the library," Daniel Boone Regional Library public relations manager Mitzi St. John said in an email.
The Daniel Boone Regional Library system includes the Callaway County Public Library and Holts Summit Public Library. Library members have access to the library's online "digital branch" - with Hoopla, members can listen to audiobooks, Freegal offers music, OverDrive provides audiobooks and eBooks and Kanopy includes films.
All physical library locations closed March 17. Since then, usage of these digital offerings has increased.
"Use of services such as Kanopy and Hoopla more than doubled," Callaway County Public Library Services Manager Sara Henry said in an email. "OverDrive (eBooks and audiobooks) continues to be our most popular digital service, and so far in April we're on track to see a 33 percent increase in usage."
To meet this demand, the library has made several changes to allow members to get more use out of online services, many of which have a limit on monthly checkouts. Checkout limits through Hoopla have increased from 10 to 15, the daily streaming limit on Freegal has been removed and the viewers can now make nine monthly checkouts from Kanopy.
At the same time, the library is increasing its collection of eBooks and audiobooks - additional copies will help reduce wait times.
For families looking for ways to entertain stir-crazy children, the library YouTube channel includes "Music and Movement" videos, while TumbleBooks and TumbleMath offers interactive activities.
While the library can't hold events, members can still pick up new skills and take classes through services such as Creativebug, Lynda.com and Universal Class. The library has even opened up Ancestry.com, which is usually only accessible from the library building.
"While we aren't able to hold library programs right now, we're busy planning how to offer our annual Summer Reading Program to the community," Henry said.
According to a recent newsletter, the library is taking the time to deep clean facilities while closed.
"Right now, we don't have a date set for re-opening but are planning for what that will look like, with the health and safety of our library patrons and staff being our top priority," Henry said.