Library still providing a ‘massively important’ service despite COVID-19

That’s according to the Foyle MLA Martina Anderson who took a recent tour.

She said: “I was pleased to visit the Central Library this week and speak with the Head of Services Trisha Ward to see at first hand how local libraries are reorganising and getting ready for a phased opening coming out of COVID-19. There has been the installation of plastic screens, safety notices and making hand sanitisers available.

“Libraries are a massively important service in our city. Since the lockdown 15 ,000 people registered online with libraries across the north for eBook services. They also offer a library helpline and ‘book and collect’ service where members of the public can ring up and ask for a collection of books to be left aside and arrange a contactless collection.

“In the next few weeks services will be scaled up including those for children and young people. ‘Rhythm and Rhyme’ classes will be resuming for children over Zoom.”