Rick Stiebel | Sooke News Mirror
Library lovers in Sooke can once again borrow items from faraway branches.
The Vancouver Island Regional Library’s delivery trucks are rolling again, enabling users to access books, DVDs, magazines, and other materials from branches across the Island, Haida Gwaii and the Central Coast.
VIRL has taken a careful, methodical approach since temporarily suspending in-branch services in response to the pandemic, Emily Mathews, VIRL divisional manager of collections of support services said in an Aug. 5 media release.
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“Our approach has always been about protecting the health and safety of customers and staff, and now we have a plan in place to safely resume the flow of materials between branches,” Mathews said.
The top priorities remain shipping personal protective equipment to branches, delivering new materials as they arrive, and fulfilling holds at the local level. For the time being, items may take longer to arrive than they would under normal circumstances, Mathews said.
The expanded access will not change VIRL’s Takeout Services, which are designed to minimize physical contact and maintain the existing safety measures currently in place.
Customers can place holds by checking out search.virl.bc.ca or by calling 1-877-415-VIRL. Staff will contact users by phone to set up an appointment for pickup.
All of VIRL’s 39 branches are open for Takeout Service. Access more information on the service at virl.bc.ca/takeout/.
People in remote locations who don’t have access to a VIRL branch can once again access the VIRL’s Books by Mail service. All reserved materials will be shipped to the Nanaimo North branch and then sent to BBM customers.
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