Enrich your life and feed your curiosity to learn
Library vending machine open on June 30 at Langford Heritage Branch
The days of virtual-only library services during the COVID-19 pandemic are coming to an end as the Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) begins a phased approach to reopening its 12 branches, which closed on March 16 due to the coronavirus.
“We know our library users have enjoyed our virtual library offerings, but they have missed the ability to borrow a paperback novel, a storybook for children, a DVD or a video game,” says Maureen Sawa, GVPL CEO. “On June 30, we begin service at two locations and welcome our patrons to borrow any format they prefer, on the spot.”
The Langford Heritage Branch is home to the GVPL library vending machine, introduced in 2017 and the first of its kind on the Island. The library vending machine will be accessible Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., stocked and refreshed regularly with popular books, DVDs and video games for all ages. Card holders can scan the barcode on their library cards to check out material and print a due-date slip. Library material can be returned at the branch through the automated book return during the same hours.
The Central Branch, the largest location in the GVPL system, will offer a selection of material to borrow on the spot. It will also be the first location where library users can pick up material they have placed on hold.
In July, the Juan de Fuca Branch will offer a holds pick-up service and a small browsing collection of items to borrow. The drop box will be open for patrons to return the material they have borrowed. Service details about the Goudy Branch will follow at a later date. GVPL will provide two weeks’ notice before service begins at each location; details will be posted on the library’s website, gvpl.ca.
On June 30, GVPL will also resume customer service support by phone, Monday to Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Online support on social media and through gvpl.ca is provided Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
According to its service restoration plan, GVPL has introduced steps to protect the health and safety of library users and staff. Social distancing measures will be in place with signage and floor decals to serve as a guide, as well as stringent cleaning protocols. Library fines can be paid online; in-person payments will not be accepted for the indefinite future. Fines did not accumulate during the library system closure and items due after March 16 have been assigned a due date of August 31, 2020. Card holders’ accounts have been updated accordingly.
Throughout the COVID-19 branch closures, library services and collections continued to be available through the library’s virtual branch, gvpl.ca – ebooks, e-audiobooks, movies, music and online courses to stream and download. Use of digital library resources soared during the pandemic, Sawa says, noting GVPL saw a 500 per cent increase in online library card registrations in April alone, compared with April 2019.
Though grateful for the digital content, library users have been eager to return to the library to borrow physical materials, Sawa adds. “We look forward to welcoming the community back to the library, to connect them with great material that will enrich their lives and feed their curiosity to learn.”