City of Nelson closes Library due to COVID-19
By Nelson Daily Staff
Add the Nelson Public Library the list of closures in the City of Nelson due COVID-19 pandemic.
In a media release Tuesday, the City of Nelson announced the Library will be closed to the public effective 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 17.
The City said the Library Board of Trustees made this decision to mitigate the risk of spreading COVID-19 throughout our community.
“We have been working in conjunction with the City of Nelson, our local health authority, and in coordination with other libraries in the region to ensure our practices and operations reflect the best available recommendations,” the City release said.
“This difficult decision was made to support the overall health and wellness of our communities and for the safety of our patrons and staff.”
Monday, the Regional District of Central Kootenay closed its facilities, including the Nelson and District Community Complex, Civic Arena and North Shore Hall due to the novel coronavirus — COVID-19.
Tuesday, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary closed its faclities due to the COVID-19 pandemic until further notice.
Those facilities included the Grand Forks and District Aquatic Centre and Arena, the Beaver Valley Arena and the Greater Trail Community Centre in Trail that also houses Selkirk College, Charles Bailey Theatre, the Trail Gymnastics Club and VISAC Gallery.
The City of Nelson said while wanting to support the continuity of services to citizens of Nelson, the Library must be part of the solution.
“The best way we can serve our patrons now is to help contain the virus, especially as our patrons include many seniors and others that are considered high risk,” the media release said. “To help our community through this time, we have extended the due dates on all physical library materials to May 2. Materials can be returned through our exterior book drop.
The City said during this time, there will be no public access to the library building. All library services to the public will be suspended including:
- Library programs and events
- Library meeting room bookings
- Home delivery services
- Outreach programs
Digital services, such as our online catalogue, ebooks, e-audiobooks, digital magazines and newspapers, and Lynda.com will continue to be available at www.nelsonlibrary.ca Library staff assistance is available via email at [email protected] or telephone at (250) 352-6333.
Library staff is making plans on how to best serve residents virtually and over the phone and will do its best to think of creative ways to help normalize the situation for our residents.
Anni Holtby, Chair Nelson Public Library and Tracey Therrien, Chief Librarian, sincerely thank patrons for their patience during the closure.
“We encourage our community to follow the advice and recommendations of our health authority, Interior Health, and the BC Centre for Disease Control for the most up-to-date information on COVID-19. A list of reliable resources is also available on our website at www.nelsonlibrary.ca.”
