Reading not cancelled, public libraries promote online materials

The library has not been able to implement physical book delivery at this time, and are holding off for now, to allow staff to self-isolate and work from home.

Feser says right now they are focusing on offerings through their website, as well as online programming like streaming story time.

Their online library materials include e-books and audio books, magazines and newspapers can be read on the press reader platform.

For in-depth learning, online college-level courses on many subjects are available with the library’s Gale service.

“Several different platforms that we have e-books on, overdrive, RB Digital, Read Alberta Books, we’re putting a lot of money into buying resources, mostly on overdrive, so if you use overdrive there will be lots of the content on there in the days to come.”

Meantime at the Redcliff Public Library, Manager Tracy Weinrauch says they also have reading materials on their website.

And they are delivering books to residents without physical contact.

She says the public can borrow a book online and they are happy to deliver it to your doorstep.

As for returns, she says the book drop is still open and the library is quarantining those books so they don’t immediately go back on the shelf.

“We just bag the books and we have them in our meeting room dated when they were received in the book drop. And we’ll in a couple of weeks start taking them out as their time expires in there,” Weinrauch said.

She adds the delivery service has been well received by the public, with lots of smiles and waves through home windows when they go to drop off the books.

The Page & Whisker here in Medicine Hat is also making book deliveries.

Books can be purchased online and delivered free of charge to residents. Proceeds from book sales will support animals in southern Alberta.

by Chantal Wagner

Reading not cancelled, public libraries promote online materials

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