NEWS RELEASE
INNISFIL IDEALAB AND LIBRARY
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Coping with COVID-19 has not been easy on Innisfil. We know our community misses us, and we miss you! We have been working diligently to bring the physical Innisfil ideaLAB & Library experience to residents virtually.
With your Library membership you can access 120,000 eBooks and eAudiobooks through cloudLibrary, check out thousands of movies on Kanopy, and browse magazines on Flipster. There are also online tools for learning a new language or technology, and research databases to access credible information. Whether you’re working from home, are self-isolating, or practicing social distancing, there is no better time than now, for you to catch up on all those books you have been meaning to read, a language you have always wanted to learn, or to just relax and watch a free movie.
“We understand the needs of the community and want to open up a world they may not have previously explored. In times like these, it is more important than ever that we, as a community, find ways to stay connected and engaged with each other and the broader world.” said Acting CEO Susan Baues.
“Innisfil ideaLAB & Library, like all businesses and organizations, is finding all kinds of ways to adapt in this unprecedented time and still stay customer-focused,” Baues said.
What’s new? If you don't have a library card, now's the time to sign up! Residents can now sign up for a Digital Membership via https://www.innisfilidealab.ca/digitalmembership/. It is an easy process.
First, you fill out the online form. From there, our Customer Experience Team will assign you a Library card and PIN number, and once activated, your Digital Membership allows you to access digital items for to the next three months. When the Library reopens, we invite you to come into one of our branches with your identification to keep your card active. We will then set you up with a full membership, which gives you access to our physical collections as well.
If you need help using any of our online resources after you get your membership, just call or email and we’ll be happy to help: 705-431-7410, [email protected].
Our programming staff have been hard at work bringing you rhymes, stories, songs and activities virtually through our Library Youtube channel and social media sites channels. We are expanding and bringing you more! In the next few days, we will be offering virtual bookclubs for adults, hackLAB design help and virtual tinkershops as well as weekly "Maker Meet-Ups" to help you stay connected to us and each other.
We will also have a range of online tutorials to help you access our resources or explore a new project from home. “Our staff are eager to connect with you to offer the services you are familiar with,” said Kathy Hammer, Manager of Programming & Outreach, "we know our programming teams are part of many families' weekly routines and we want to do our best to maintain those connections.”
Watch our website for more and make sure you follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up to date and see what our staff are creating at home for you. Sign up and check out our Get Involved Innisfil Boredom Busters page, share your ideas and discover something new.
Customer Experience staff are calling some of our senior members for a friendly chat and to make sure they can access the essential services they need at this time. Staff members call and ask if they have a way to get groceries or other supplies, and if they have regular social contact with family, friends, or neighbours, and can refer them to services as they need them. Staff will make follow-up calls to those who would like them. If you know someone who would like a friendly chat with a Library staff member, call us and let us know, or have them get in touch directly: 705-431-7410 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri.
As a reminder:
• Please keep any materials you have checked out until the Library reopens. Exterior drop-boxes are locked and not accepting material. Fines will not accumulate.
• Library cards that expired between March 1, 2020 and April 15, 2020 have been extended to July 10, 2020.
Happy reading!
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