Digital readership soars as service adapts to crisis

Avid readers across Aberdeenshire are benefiting from a new scheme, with Ballater the latest town to be included.

Digital downloads over the last three months have reached more than 300,000 at Aberdeenshire libraries – an increase of 242% on the same time period last year.

But staff were keen that people not lose out on more traditional ways of reading.

Live Life Aberdeenshire’s new Click and Collect and Home Delivery services enable people to book a slot to pick up books from their nearest library, or get a delivery of books to their front door.

Ballater is the latest to access the new service, which has already been rolled out in Oldmeldrum, Fraserburgh, Banchory, Ellon and Stonehaven.

Collections will be available from the library at the Old Royal Station on Tuesdays from 9am–1pm and on Thursdays from 4–7pm.

Library manager Sharon Jamieson said: “It’s certainly a new way of providing resources, but it is proving very successful.

“Many of the feedback comments are about the excitement of not knowing what they are getting.

“We had a 73-year-old woman who arrived in full leathers on a motorbike to collect her books from Library HQ, which was lovely.”

During the pandemic, many library staff were redeployed to assist in care homes, work on the humanitarian hub, work as a call handler and print thousands of 3D visors for the health and social care partnership.

Mrs Jamieson added: “These were very far removed from their normal day jobs in libraries but they turned their skills to these other duties and we have had some amazing feedback.

“Many of our staff still remain in these roles to ensure those that need support have it available.”

Library manager Sharon Jamieson