Thursday August 6, 2020 ~ NANAIMO, BC
by Mary Brooke, editor | West Shore Voice News
Island library enthusiasts can once again access the entire collection of physical materials at branches of the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) as the organization continues a phased approach to resuming library services.
As the economic restart continues in BC during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, VIRL’s delivery trucks are once again transporting books, DVDs, magazines and other materials to branches across Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and the Central Coast.
Being careful:
“We’ve been careful and methodical every step of the way since temporarily suspending in-branch services in response to the pandemic,” says Emily Mathews, VIRL’s Divisional Manager of Collections of Support Services. “Our approach has always been about protecting the health and safety of customers and staff, and we now have a plan in place to safely resume the flow of materials between our branches.”
PPE gets delivered too:
As inter-branch deliveries resume, VIRL’s top priorities remain shipping Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to branches, delivering new materials as they arrive, and fulfilling holds at the local level.
This means, for the time being, that customers can expect inter-branch holds to take longer to arrive than they would under normal circumstances.
How to use VIRL takeout services:
This expanded access does not change the process for using VIRL’s Takeout Services, which are designed to minimize physical contact and ensure that robust safety measures are enacted and enforced.
- Customers can place holds by visiting search.virl.bc.ca or calling 1.877.415.VIRL
- Staff will contact customers by phone to set up an appointment
- Customers are asked to visit their branch during their appointed time to pick up items
All Branches Open for Takeout Service:
From the northern tip of Haida Gwaii, to the Saanich Peninsula, all 39 branches in VIRL’s service area are officially open for Takeout Service.
“Opening all branches across a vast geographic area is a tremendous feat and a groundbreaking milestone for a multi-location library system,” says Rosemary Bonanno, VIRL’s Executive Director. “I am exceptionally proud of the job staff have done to safely open for Takeout in communities large, small, and remote. This marks a significant milestone in our road to recovery amid this pandemic.”
More information about VIRL’s Takeout Service, including a comprehensive list of FAQs, is available at virl.bc.ca/takeout/.
Books by Mail is Back:
VIRL’s Books by Mail (BBM) service is back up and running, helping to put library materials back into customers’ hands who live in remote locations and don’t have access to the library. In mid-March, this service was temporarily suspended as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
All reserved materials will first be shipped to the Nanaimo North branch where they will be sent to BBM customers once ready.
More information is available at https://virl.bc.ca/branches/books-by-mail/.
Nanaimo Walkthrough Pilot:
Library goers in Nanaimo may now return to the Harbourfront branch in a limited capacity as part of VIRL’s Walkthrough Service pilot. The service includes robust safety measures to limit the number of people accessing the branch at any one time, adherence to all prescribed physical distancing measures, and access to a limited browsing collection for customers to check out.
“We have never lost sight of people’s desire to return to the library and access books, DVDs, and other library materials,” says Melissa Legacy, VIRL’s Director of Library Services and Planning. “We are extremely pleased to be offering this new service at the Harbourfront branch, a model we plan to replicate and expand across our service area in the days and weeks ahead.”
The downtown Nanaimo branch now offers:
- A walkthrough area to browse a limited collection
- Self-checkout
- Fee payments
- Increased returns
- Photocopying service
Customers who would like to access the browsing collection must have their library cards with them and use the self-checkout machines in the branch. The branch will continue to offer Takeout Services by appointment for those who would prefer to use this service. For the time being, the Walkthrough hours will be the same as those offered for Takeout:
- Sun: Closed
- Mon:10am-12pm & 1-4pm
- Tue: 1-4 & 5-7pm
- Wed:10am-12pm & 1-4pm
- Thu: 10am-12pm & 1-4pm
- Fri: 10am-12pm & 1-4pm
- Sat: 10am-12pm & 1-4pm
For everyone’s safety, customers are asked to adhere to all posted safety information and the directives of staff. During this first phase of Walkthrough Service, there will be no access to the public washrooms, computers, or seating area.
