Libraries Week, an annual celebration of Britain’s public libraries, takes place from 5th to 10th October and all of the Isle of Wight’s public libraries will be open for borrowing and returning books, or using the free computers.
Library Week theme this year is ‘Your passport to reading’, recognising how the Island’s libraries helped to keep the Island reading during lockdown with growing collections of free eBooks and eAudiobooks, and how reading in all its forms can provide comfort, companionship and escapism during these difficult times.
The libraries have reopened with different and usually more limited opening hours than previously, and with a wide range of COVID-19 precautions in place.
All pre-lockdown loans were extended to 30th September and no fines are being charged until then, but readers with books at home that were borrowed before lockdown should return these now.
Special arrangements can be made for those who would rather not come into the library.
Anyone concerned about coming inside the library to return their books can contact the library to arrange a time for a member of staff to pick them up outside the building.
A varied programme of online events will be running during Libraries Week to celebrate the things libraries continue to offer online – books, talking books, newspapers, magazines and music – and to remind Islanders that the libraries are open to visitors again.
There will be daily Book Chats on the Isle of Wight Libraries Facebook page, led by a different member of staff each day. For children, there will be a special online Lego challenge, rhymetime and storytime during the week.
Anyone visiting a library in person during Library Week will be offered a Grab Bag, containing a comfort read novel selected by local library staff, plus some refreshments to wash it down.
Library Service Manager Rob Jones said:
“I am delighted that our libraries have all reopened, and we are looking forward to welcoming all of our customers back – remember, the Library Service is open to all Island residents, it is easy to join the library and book borrowing is completely free”.
It will be interesting to see how many people choose to use them at the moment. I can’t imagine how you sanitise a book.
At our community library you need to request books and when they arrive you arrange a time to collect them. They are handed to you in a brown bag and you can then either leave them for 72 hours before reading or wipe the jackets with sanitiser.
Read books online. Far safer. Check out ‘fanfiction’ for free books, just reading one based on Enid Blytons Famous Five book although this one is set at the haunted Knighton Gorge site. Very good so far.