Burnham-On-Sea Library has a new order-and-collect service giving customers access to library books while staying safely socially distanced.
Somerset Libraries has rolled out the new service to help local library users while visitors to Burnham Library are still unable to browse the shelves just yet.
The new look service does allow people to use an online request form to receive a selection of up to 10 books, DVDs or Talking Books which staff pick out for customers, based on the types of authors or genres that interest them.
Somerset residents have also been making use of the popular public computers available in libraries. Computers need to be pre-booked and are available for one-hour slots, with time built in for cleaning.
The library’s online events and activities for families available every day have proved popular – including story-times, performances and activities as part of the 2020 Summer Reading Challenge – delivered this year by ‘The Silly Squad’. Visit http://www.somersetlibraries.co.uk for information.
Library staff have also been busy creating a range of videos for grown-ups too; such as nature walks, a gardening club, cookery tips and tips to help with health and wellbeing. What’s more, anyone who is a member of Somerset Libraries can also download audiobooks, magazines, books, comics and access other online services such as Ancestry UK.
Councillor David Hall, Somerset County Council’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for Libraries, said: “It’s great to see people returning to the library service using the new order-and -collect service and coming in to make use of the public computers. Our communities have really got behind the new service and our growing online activities. I’d also like to thank our library staff for the innovative ways they are delivering library services which means so much to so many in these unusual of times.”
The mobile library is also back on the road and details of where and when the stops are can be found on the Somerset Libraries website pages.
Customers can return any items currently on loan to a library, but customers are encouraged not to make an unnecessary journey to do this.
All current loans that would have been due back during the lockdown period have been extended to the end of August, and any overdue charges that customers might have incurred as a result of library closures due to COVID-19 have been waived.
The order-and collect request form is available via the Somerset Libraries website – www.somersetlibraries.co.uk or by contacting librariesmail@somerset.gov.uk or calling 0300 123 2224.
