As the province begins reopening, the Barrie Public Library is getting ready to reintroduce service in phases, beginning with curbside pickup at the Downtown Library on June 10.
This initial phase will focus on clearing the backlog of holds that were on the pickup shelves when the provincial shutdown began March 13. Staff will be calling patrons to confirm they are still interested in the items and will be asked to book an appointment slot to pick them up outside the main entrance Downtown. Patrons are asked to bring any items they have checked out with them when they come to pick up their new materials and have their library card number handy.
“We are thrilled to begin offering curbside pickup,” said Lauren Jessop, CEO of the Barrie Public Library. “Our members have been eagerly anticipating this and we appreciate the patience everyone has shown. We are excited to be able to get new books and movies in their hands in a safe way.”
It is anticipated that this first phase will take about two weeks to complete. The second phase will include processing requests that came in after the closure and accepting all returns. The Library is asking those that have holds placed for the Painswick Branch to modify their pickup location to Downtown or cancel their holds they no longer require as soon as possible to speed up the process. For guidance on using our online catalogue and managing your holds see our tutorial, Encore - Your Online Library Catalogue.
“A phased approach is important to ensure we can learn from each step and keep our staff and community safe,” Lauren continued. “We can’t wait to see our patrons again, even if it’s in a different way than we’re all used to.”
At this time, outdoor return slots at both locations are closed and due dates have been extended to July 31. All items that are returned will be set aside for 3 days for a quarantine period before checking them in. Patrons are asked to respect physical distancing guidelines and stay at least 2 metres apart.
For more information on our plans for curbside pickup call us at 705-728-1010 or email AskUs@barrielibrary.ca.