Most 39 Vancouver Island Regional Library locations shuttered by COVID-19 have re-opened. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

library options

Island libraries ramp back up after COVID shut down

Oct 28, 2020 | 4:54 PM

PARKSVILLE — Following being closed for several months, most Vancouver Island Regional Library’s (VIRL) 39 branches have re-opened their doors.

The Parksville branch attached to City Hall re-opened Wednesday, Oct. 28, while the Qualicum Beach library is slated to open in early November, according to communications director David Carson.

He said both Oceanside branches and many other VIRL locations have been providing a takeout service for the past few months. Carson said the service involves pre-selecting items online then picking them up at a participating branch.

Carson said their Parksville location’s entire browsing selection and computers are available for public use.

He stated a maximum of 10 people are allowed in their Parksville branch at any given time.

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All three Nanaimo VIRL branches are open to users with various social distancing precautions in place, Carson said.

“We’re ramping up virtual services,” Carson said. “Things like story times streaming live on social media having book clubs online are examples of shifting more of our services to digital,” Carson told NanaimoNewsNOW.

He said interest in their Nanaimo branches is high, pointing to 9,000 visitors to their north end location in the past month and a half.

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