Despite remaining closed for in-person service, officials with the Grande Prairie Public Library say the brakes certainly haven’t been pumped on its curbside pickup program.
Library Director Deb Cryderman says they loan out an average of around 400 items a day, adding the number is even more impressive when you take COVID-19 restrictions and timed appointments into consideration.
“We can schedule and manage around four people per quarter-hour,” she says.
Cryderman says when they started the program in April 2020, they expected it to be reasonably successful, with some library diehards always looking for the latest releases. She adds, however, some of the curbside deliveries have stood out because of the sheer volume of things people are looking for.
“The most we’ve handed out at one time is 84 items… to one person,” she says. “So, if you want 84 items, we will check them out to you and hand them out the door… we may need two people to bring them all out to you,” she laughs.
Cryderman says while offering alternative solutions like curbside pick-up will continue for the foreseeable future, she admits she is looking forward to the day for more traditional services to return.
“I want people writing their exams here, gathering and learning together, but if this is what we can do right now, it’s terrific,” she adds.
Libraries are slated to reopen as part of step three of the Government of Alberta’s reopening strategy and would be triggered once hospitalizations, among other statistics, fall below acceptable levels.