The Moose Jaw Public Library is back in the stacks this week, after beginning its no-contact pickup program to resume lending materials to library patrons on Monday.
“It's going really well, and it's nice to be able to put books in people's hands again,” said acting assistant head librarian Carolyn Graham.
The MJPL had to close all of its services back in March after the outbreak of COVID-19 began in the province and public health enforced a state of emergency.
But now, the entire Palliser Regional Library system is using a contactless pickup and drop-off system in order to resume lending services, the first region in the province to do so since the pandemic began.
At the MJPL, the pickup program has several ways for patrons to begin borrowing again. The easiest method, said Graham, is to reserve materials online through the Palliser Library catalogue — which is also the best place to browse available materials right now.
“If people have a pretty good idea of what they want, or of an area or topic they're interested in, (they can just) browse through the books and make a selection,” said Graham.
Patrons can also email ask@moosjawlibrary.ca or message the MJPL through their Facebook page with hold requests, or call the MJPL Help Desk at 1 (306) 692-2787 and leave a message.
The MJPL has also launched a new live chat system on its website, where patrons can reach out directly to MJPL staff with questions or requests for materials. The live chat is totally new to MJPL staff, who are usually available to offer immediate answers to messages throughout the day.
“Not everyone uses the online catalogue, so that's why we have other options,” said Graham. “We're trying to make the service accessible to everybody, whether or not you're a regular computer user.”
For now, materials available to borrow are books, DVDs, CDs, audiobooks, and video games, with some borrow limits on certain items. As well, only items located within the Palliser catalogue are currently available.
After placing a request, MJPL staff will track down the items and call patrons with a set pickup time. The entire process is contactless, with materials left for curbside pickup at the front doors of the Moose Jaw Museum & Art Gallery building in Crescent Park.
Patrons can also begin returning items through the book return slot, and all borrowed materials will have a four-week borrow period and no overdue fees until the end of September.
All materials are being cleaned and quarantined as well, said Graham, as safety is a huge priority for the program.
It’s been a long few months without library lending or programming, said Graham, but resuming material lending has been a huge relief for both patrons and staff alike.
“I think people really were missing being able to come and get books,” said Graham. “It's been great (so far), and we're so glad that we put in the planning and deployed staff who are ready to handle it.”
Online programming from the library has helped fill a few gaps and many patrons have been making use of the digital resources available from the library, but the large influx of material requests already this week shows that patrons are certainly ready to have library materials in their hands again.
The Moose Jaw Public Library remains closed to the public, and will only be able to reopen its doors when the second part of Phase Four of the Re-Open Saskatchewan Plan occurs.
