A Message from Toronto’s City Librarian – May 21, 2020
Hi everyone,
Late last week the Province announced that Ontario libraries, starting May 19, are allowed to resume limited services, with curbside drop-off and pick-up of materials, when we are ready to do so. It’s been so heartwarming to see the public excitement about this news; we know how many of you rely on us and our services to stay connected, informed and engaged. Our staff miss seeing you too, and we are all excited about this first step in the reinstatement of our services.
With the delivery of this new service – as with all of our service reinstatement plans – I want to assure you that the health and safety of our customers and our staff are our first priority. With this in mind, we have developed a phased approach to curbside drop-off and pick-up. Here’s what it will look like:
- On Monday, May 25, we’ll open drop boxes at 17 of our branches
- On Monday, June 1, we’ll open drop boxes at all remaining branches that are suitable for drop-off service. Later in June, we will begin offering curbside pick-up at all branches that are suitable for this service.
Throughout this time, you can continue to place holds online, through our website at tpl.ca. When your holds become available, we’ll notify you when and where you can pick them up.
With over a million items currently on loan, new quarantining processes to ensure the safety of our materials, new physical distancing policies and shorter hours of operation, we ask for your patience as we work through the details of this new service.
For more about how and where you can return your materials, please visit our information page.
We look forward to serving you in this new way, and to eventually welcoming you back into our spaces as soon as we’re able. In the meantime, we are still here for you, with a new series of live and online programs, and a vast collection of digital resources and services you can access online 24 hours a day.
And stay tuned to tpl.ca for regular updates about our programs and services.
Thank you,
Vickery
59 thoughts on “A Message from Toronto’s City Librarian – May 21, 2020”
my suggestion is simply to open all branches as usual and require mask and gloves for everyone, for now.
How are we supposed to get magazines or periodicals? We don’t necessarily know which issues we’ve missed or not? and if _weekly magaines, we can quickly shoot up our allotment of borrowables.
And, how can we _browse? We don’t _always know what we want until we see something. And what about such items as the Whole Note, which we get every month from your magazine shelf stand?
Stop complaining. These are unusual times. Libraries are doing their best.
Yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay yay!
Hi Anita, how can we? By remembering that everything will take time. There are a small number of library staff to hundreds of thousands of residents. I for one have over 50 books for my family that I was allowed to borrow. Books need to be reshelved and probably sanitized before that.
Maybe there just isn’t the manpower to allow for your suggestion. It will happen eventually. Let’s just be patient and allow the process to unfold sensibly.
When will the Home Library Service be open up again? Cause I have stuff to return to them & they have stuff for me to be delivered to me. Please let me know via email.
One of the items I checked out due in Aug so does this means I have to return it by that date or the due date might change ?
Plus the Province is the one keeping libraries closed. They have been opened for curb side pickup only. We (I work for a non-Toronto library) can’t open to the public or even all go back to work until the Provincial government says we may.
We have been waiting so what’s a few more weeks to allow staff to properly plan a safe ramp-up. TPL is worth the wait for sure.
I am very happy to hear that in the next few weeks we will be able to pick up and drop off at all branches. It will take time for the libraries to get organized and the staff will be very busy. I have waited for the past couple of months so another few weeks is okay by me. Just glad they will be back at work and we will have books to read!
Fantastic!! I love that TPL is so responsive to COVID 19 and pivoting to continue services.
I do wonder about how TPL will ensure that books are cleaned on return?
Thea
Yay!!!!!
I am so glad that finally we can use again our library, although we are all waiting for the complete opening of the library where we can stay to browse and pick our favorite books. Anything will do for me.
You are more than welcome to wear your mask and gloves, please respect others who don’t want to wear them. Masks are not mandatory but recommended in places.
You can browse the catalogue on line– try it!
Please be happy that the library is open!!! I can hardly wait! If this doesn’t work for you then you are welcome to not participate
Thanks for your consideration and being a good Torontonian.
Agreed!!!!
Agree!!!
I would like to tell everyone at the library how much I have enjoyed and appreciated being able to get ebooks on a regular basis . I have even gotten books in very short order even though they showed lengthy wait times.
When will home delivery services resume? My father is short of reading material.
What if we have a book that we borrowed and won’t be able to return it? I am currently isolating out of town.
413 new cases in Ontario today.
31 deaths.
Compared to this, missing a magazine because you can order them but can’t go and finger through them, seems pretty trivial.
let them sit for a week – done – virus has a maximum 72 hour lifespan
that was in reply to Thea above re cleaning returned materials – missed the reply button
Love the library but jeez, get a writer – took me three tries to get through this awkward mess.
“ With over a million items currently on loan, new quarantining processes to ensure the safety of our materials, new physical distancing policies and shorter hours of operation, we ask for your patience as we work through the details of this new service.”
Being able to get books curbside is a wonderful idea. However, how will they then sanitize the books before they are loaned out to the next person?
It’s kind of chilling to hear, “you are welcome to not participate”.
I hope that we can all be committed to open, respectful dialogue and be tolerant of diverse views. There is no need for consensus, nor for a ‘take it or leave it’ kind of response, nor to trounce on someone whose views do not fit with yours.
I would expect that as the pandemic rolls on and possibly on for a long time, TPL will be trying to replicate all the services that it can, in our world of necessary modifications. Let’s be patient with each other, and our treasured public service. We can all be a little more kind.
As an avid reader, I have been using the library regularly for decades. Recently, I have had to shift to online resources and discovered “Overdrive” which I can access with my Toronto Library card. THere’s a whole world of great books online. It’s fantastic, convenient and of course perfectly safe. I highly recommend it. I am really not sure if the traditional library model is sustainable. Covid-19 is still here with us and although the numbers are not as bad as they were it is by no means gone. It may also mutate and be invulnerable to any vaccines. No one really knows what will happen so it is a concern that is not set to go away any time soon and may in fact be the new normal. I look around and see that most businesses are still closed. Meanwhile, Toronto libraries are set to re-open (in stages) with limited services. This seems premature. I am not sure if I should be borrowing a Book or DVD or Magazine that was recently returned by another user. There is no guarantee the item will be clean and safe even if there is a gap between the time it was returned and the time someone else borrows it. I understand that people miss being able to go to the library and borrow items. I do as well. But it may be no longer viable in the long run. Thankfully there are great online options we can’take advantage of. As such, I don’t see why there is such a rush to re-open. It seems to me hasty and ill advised to be restarting services during a pandemic. Hopefully, this won’t exacerbate the current health crisis even worse.
Can items which have already arrived (or are in transit) to my home library branch be suspended?
I have to be away from Toronto from May 31 to July 14. Because of this I have already arranged to suspend holds for things which are not currently in transit. However, I’ve no option to change those already waiting for me on the shelf or which are in transit.
I’ve waited a long time for these items. I’d hate to go to the back of the queue if I happen to be away for more than two weeks after the reopening of my home library branch.
Many thanks in advance for your help.
And, in any case, it’ll be good to have you back!
what are the 17 branches with open drop boxes starting Monday?
what does “Later in June, we will begin offering curbside pick-up” mean? Do you not have a date now? What kind of planning is that?
And what does “at all branches that are suitable for this service” mean? What makes a branch “suitable”? And will we have to guess which branches those are?
Comments that do not follow our Rules of Conduct have been removed. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/terms-of-use/library-policies/rules-of-conduct.jsp
Comments that do not follow our Rules of Conduct have been removed. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/terms-of-use/library-policies/rules-of-conduct.jsp
Comments that do not follow our Rules of Conduct have been removed. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/terms-of-use/library-policies/rules-of-conduct.jsp
Hello J. Tagg,
The list of 17 branches is available on the information page, and will be updated regularly as we roll out this service: http://localhost:5000/programming/drop-off-curbside-pickup-service.html
Hello Helen,
All returned materials will be quarantined for a period of time until they are safe to circulate.
Hello Thea,
All returned materials will be quarantined for a period of time until they are safe to circulate.
Hello Arash,
We are just starting to accept material returns at this time. You do not have to return your materials yet! Due dates on all items were extended during our closure.
Hello Robin,
I have removed your email address from your comment and shared it with our Answerline service for follow up. You can contact us via email any time using our contact form: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/contact/
Hello Sarah,
We are just starting to accept material returns at this time. You do not have to return your materials yet! Due dates on all items were extended during our closure.
Hello Buncula,
Please use our Contact Form to send an email to Answerline with your account details. They can help you manage your holds for the period you are away. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/contact/
I’m an avid reader but am very pleased with this careful approach to ramping up services.
opefully we won’t see gun toting liberators demonstrating outside of our libraries demanding that they can open quickly so that ‘Y’all can catch up on the comics’ (;>)
Abby. I am in total agreement with your advice. Anonymous arrogance is annoying and pathetic.
…. Hopefully
I prefer having a communication laying out an outline plan than waiting for until all the logistics have been nailed down.
There are still so many COVID unknowns that planning needs to be detailed, conservative and flexible.
We are now talking about new front line workers. Clearly with reduced risk – but risk all the same.
I’m sure if you reflect you can’think of many reasons why some libraries would not be suitable – apart from specific staff availability e.g. branch size/location/infra/parking/ access/demographics/supply chain.
Do we know which 17 locations will have their drop boxes open on Monday, May 25?
Never mind. I just saw the list!
As an avid reader, I have been using the library regularly for decades. Recently, I have had to shift to online resources and discovered “Overdrive” which I can access with my Toronto Library card. THere’s a whole world of great books online. It’s fantastic, convenient and of course perfectly safe. I highly recommend it. I am really not sure if the traditional library model is sustainable. Covid-19 is still here with us and although the numbers are not as bad as they were it is by no means gone. It may also mutate and be invulnerable to any vaccines. No one really knows what will happen so it is a concern that is not set to go away any time soon and may in fact be the new normal. I look around and see that most businesses are still closed. Meanwhile, Toronto libraries are set to re-open (in stages) with limited services. This seems premature. I am not sure if I should be borrowing a Book or DVD or Magazine that was recently returned by another user. There is no guarantee the item will be clean and safe even if there is a gap between the time it was returned and the time someone else borrows it. I understand that people miss being able to go to the library and borrow items. I do as well. But it may be no longer viable in the long run. Thankfully there are great online options we can’take advantage of. As such, I don’t see why there is such a rush to re-open. It seems to me hasty and ill advised to be restarting services during a pandemic. Hopefully, this won’t exacerbate the current health crisis even worse.
Hi TPL,
I think the horizon for the physical book is short and we need to transition to online reading asap. In the pandemic, for example, service would merely carry on, although the TPL’s many fine programs would be on hold.
Hello Karen,
Indeed, use of our OverDrive digital collection is up 34% from before the closure, so many people are reading online!
We also recently started offering online programming, which you may be interested in if you’re missing our in-person events! http://localhost:5000/programming/toronto-public-library-is-live-online.html
It’s wonderful to hear how excited our customers are to come back to the library. We’ve missed you!
For now, the Province has only allowed libraries to resume limited services, with curbside pick-up and drop-off of materials. Until the Provincial Emergency Order is lifted, all library branches must remain closed to the public for in-branch services. Currently, we are unable to resume Bookmobile or Home Library Services. There are also certain locations where we will not be able to offer curbside pick-up or drop-off service due to site restrictions which prevent us from meeting the required City and Provincial criteria for operating these services.
For materials that were borrowed prior to March 13, due dates have been extended. You can continue to hold on to your library materials until branches reopen and you will not be fined.
For specific, individual questions about your account or materials, you can use our contact us form to get in touch with our Answerline service staff: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/contact/
We will be sharing more information on our website and on our social media channels in the coming days and weeks. Thanks very much for your patience.
Comments that do not follow our Rules of Conduct have been removed. https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/terms-of-use/library-policies/rules-of-conduct.jsp
Partial reopening of the TPL is big news, so please consider featuring this on your home page instead of burying this in a ‘message from the head librarian’, Vickery. I mean really – I use the TP extensively online and when I am logged onto my account I cannot this any of this information, nor is there a button to click on to see it. There is no trace of ‘what’s on at the library’ or any other information. I learned about the partial reopening from a newsletter from my city councillor that had a link. Why can TPL users not see any of this when logged onto an account?
I can’t reserve or borrow books because I need to prove that I live in Toronto. When will I be able to do this?
Hello Mary,
Currently, this is featured on our homepage tpl.ca as part of Vickery’s message and also in the Your library online section, “Curbside services are coming soon”.
I will forward your feedback about updating the Your Account messaging to include information about this new service.
Thank you!
What time are the return boxes open. The one at Gladstone was locked at 8:30 this morning. Will they be open before and after library hours?
Thanks
Hi John,
The boxes opened at 9am today. You just beat us to it! Now that they’re open at 17 branches, they’ll remain open 24 hours a day.
Thanks for checking in!
i return my materials on may 25, but still they have not clear my account.
i put them in the drop box as indicated.
What shall i do? Be patient, or they have not started yet.
Hello Eric,
Materials are quarantined for a minimum of 72 hours before being checked in, and you will not be charged any fines during this period. If the materials are still showing on your account after June 1, please contact us via our Answerline service with your account details: https://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/contact/
It’s ok. The library is extending the due dates of all books until it is fully open with all services available. Until that time, late fees won’t be accruing against the books you have out.
Listen just be grateful that you have curbside. Right now it’s better than nothing. Most people know what they like to read in books or magazines. Most important at this moment and time is safety to all people. Let the libraries do what is needed to protect us and themselves. Relax enjoy and read.
It’s a good news. I was completely lost in these 90 days without books for my boys and myself. I know, it is still challenging to provide the service to the ones who are eager to use TPL service. My sons have only two books and they have been reading and re-reading this Harry Potter book and now realized that the value of a book.
I remember my days back in 80s and in a village where I grew up , when I had very few books to read. A teen novel ” Nancy Drew” was very popular and I read and re-read that made my writing became very similar to this novel’s syntax and structure for some time. I used to read ” Hardy Boys” and ” Secret Seven” and anything that is in English to keep my English learning keep-going. Those were the days in the early 80s, how a village boy learned English.