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VPL to Reopen Five Locations and Expand Takeout Service July 14

Vancouver, B.C. – On July 14th, Vancouver Public Library (VPL) will reopen Central Library and four branches, providing limited in-person services. Takeout service will also be expanded to five locations across the city. VPL will be gradually adding services at additional branches throughout the summer with the intention to open most locations in September.

“The temporary closure of libraries due to COVID-19 was a loss for our patrons, who rely on libraries for access to information, or to support the learning and entertainment needs of their families,” says Jennifer Chan, Vancouver Public Library Board Chair. “The health and safety of the public and library staff is paramount for the Board, and I am grateful that the collective efforts of our community in fighting COVID-19 have allowed us to safely reopen. Our dedicated library staff are eager to return to helping the public.”

Locations set to reopen are: Central Library, Britannia, Kitsilano, Renfrew, and South Hill. Limited in-person services will be available Tuesdays to Saturdays with health and safety measures in place. Patrons can pick up existing holds, access physical collections in short visits, return materials, and schedule time to use public computers. Central Library will reopen services on three levels: the Children’s Library on the Lower Level; all collections on Level 2 including the Popular Reading, Teens, DVD, and Multilingual Collections and others; and public computers on Level 3.

Takeout service will expand to five days a week (Tuesdays to Saturdays) at five locations across the city: Champlain Heights, Dunbar, Firehall, Hastings, and Kensington branches. Takeout will be by appointment only, offering pick up of existing holds that are on the shelves of the Takeout locations, and grab-bags, selected by staff, upon request. Patrons with holds ready for pickup will be notified and invited to make an appointment to collect their materials. Throughout July and August, Takeout service will be extended to additional branches.

Book returns will be available starting July 7 at Takeout and reopened locations, Tuesday through Saturday. As all due dates have been extended to September, and fines are suspended, VPL is asking the public to not rush to return materials immediately to enable staff to manage the process of quarantining and re-shelving materials.

“We want to thank everyone for their support and patience as we gradually reopen,” says Christina de Castell, Chief Librarian. “Reopening a large library system like VPL is a complex undertaking, and we are ensuring that as we begin to welcome everyone back to the library, we provide the services people need with appropriate health and safety measures.”

Protocols that prioritize the health and safety of both the public and library staff have been developed to ensure the library experience minimizes risk from COVID-19.

Additional reopening details will be available at vpl.ca in the coming days.

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BACKGROUNDER

VPL is moving to the next phase of reopening and bringing back more services for all patrons across the city. This includes reopening five locations with limited services as well as expanding Takeout service.

Reopening Phase 2 Overview: Mid-July to September

  • Reopen with limited services at Central Library and 4 branches: Britannia, Kitsilano, Renfrew, and South Hill
  • Limited library services with safety measures in place: patrons can pick up existing holds, borrow and return materials, and access computers
  • Takeout service expands to five days a week at Champlain Heights, Dunbar, Firehall, Hastings, and Kensington with additional locations added gradually
  • Continue to expand digital collections, services, and online programs
  • In-person programs, events, reading, and studying continue to be suspended

Locations reopening with limited services starting July 14:

  • Central Library – 350 W. Georgia St. (Children’s Library, Level 2 and Level 3)
  • Britannia Branch – 1661 Napier St.
  • Kitsilano Branch – 2425 Macdonald St.
  • Renfrew Branch – 2969 E. 22nd Ave.
  • South Hill Branch – 6076 Fraser St.

Hours for Reopened Locations:
Mon: Closed Tue: 1pm – 8pm Wed: 11am – 6pm Thu: 1pm – 8pm Fri: 11am – 6pm Sat: 11am – 6pm Sun: Closed

Locations offering VPL Takeout by appointment starting July 14:

  • Champlain Heights – 7110 Kerr St.
  • Dunbar Branch – 4515 Dunbar St.
  • Firehall Branch – 1455 W. 10th Ave.
  • Hastings Branch – 2674 E. Hastings St.
  • Kensington Branch – 1428 Cedar Cottage Mews

Takeout services by appointment only: 
VPL Takeout service will be focused on picking up holds that have been on our shelves since March. Patrons with holds that are ready for pickup will be receiving a notification with further instructions. Grab-bags selected by staff are also available upon request.

Book drops reopening at 10 locations starting July 7:
Book returns will be available starting July 7 at Takeout and reopened locations, Tuesday through Saturday.

Digital Library
Since March, more than 3,000 people have signed up for a new library card to access VPL’s Digital Library. For those not yet comfortable visiting the library in person, VPL will continue to expand digital collections and services so patrons can enjoy the thousands of ebooks, movies, music, online courses, and more for kids, teens, and adults.

Online Programs and Events
Online programs and events such as Virtual Storytime, Summer Reading Club, Teen Summer Challenge, Career and Job Search Tours, and more, will also continue over the summer. To view our schedule of upcoming online programs, see our Events Calendar.

For the latest details on VPL’s Reopening Plans, visit vpl.ca.