Selwyn library keeps busy through online services
A grant was used for technology upgrades and support
Library users in Selwyn Township have been taking advantage of virtual resources during the pandemic, according to the library’s board.
During the township’s regular teleconference council meeting on Tuesday, board chair Julie Dillon presented the library’s annual report to council members.
“Though our physical locations have been closed during the pandemic, our libraries have been very busy increasing the number of virtual programs and resources available to our patrons,” Dillon said.
When the library received a community foundations grant last year, it was reinvested in technology training and support, Dillon said.
With the grant money the board hired a student to provide a combination of technology workshops and one-on-one sessions.
“In light of the need for usage of virtual resources during the current COVID-19 crisis, I think that many of our community members — especially seniors — were glad to have utilized the computer training and support services throughout the library,” said Dillon.
The report further highlighted that last year — even prior to the pandemic — there had been an 11 per cent growth in digital checkouts, along with more virtual visits.
At the end of 2019, the library switched to the cloudLibrary platform, which has resulted in access to electronic books and electronic audio books, said Dillon.
“Though we have continued to see strong interest in our physical book collections, there’s been an ongoing trend toward heightened interest and usage of technology,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Sherry Senis told Dillon she’s been using the curbside pickup option.
“I’m a big user of the library. I really appreciate this extra service that the library’s offering and I know there are other members of the public who are doing it as well. It’s seamless. It’s great,” said Senis.
However, with services now reopening, it creates challenges for the library’s senior volunteers, in particular, Dillon said.
“We are taking a cautious approach to reintroducing volunteers to protect their safety,” she said.
While the library’s annual spring volunteer appreciation dinner has been cancelled due to current circumstances, in 2019, volunteers contributed nearly 17,000 hours in Selwyn’s libraries and stores, Dillon said.
“This amounts to about $396,000 worth of labour if you looked at it as just a minimum wage job,” she said.
The library has continued to see growth in memberships with 859 new members in 2019, Dillon said.
“We currently have 8,217 library card holders, which indicates that about onein-two of our population have a library card. In comparison to similarly sized communities, this is a strong level of engagement within the community, and I think we should be proud of that in Selwyn Township,” she said.