Books & Beyond

Re-opening the Library on July 6 was a joyful experience after weeks of safety planning and preparation. We continue to quarantine all returned items for 72 hours, and have a maximum limit of 20 patrons in the building at this time. Our first week open went very smoothly with people finally being able to access public computers, printing, books, movies, magazines and more.
Each of us has our own story of the highs and lows of this pandemic roller coaster we have all been on. The positive takeaway for me has been to witness the resiliency and adaptability of our community. Through the lens of my work at the Library, I saw parents seeking resources to meet their child’s learning needs while juggling their own work demands; I saw people who weren’t used to engaging in the digital world be thrust into online life; and people wanting to expand their perspective by reading and watching content created by members of the LGBTQ2, Black, Indigenous and of Colour
communities.
The Gibsons Library staff kept working to meet the needs of our patrons while our doors were closed, and focused on broadening our digital collection of E-books and audiobooks, and our database offerings. Our new free streaming service Kanopy brings a juried collection of diverse documentaries, films and the Great Courses to our community. Our summer reading program is online this year, and effectively encourages children of all ages and reading levels to keep engaged with books over the summer.
We have also moved many of our regular programs online; Conversational Japanese, Conversational French, Open Microphone nights, GDPL Book Club, Queer Book Club and special events now convene on Zoom. Check out our website at www.gibsons.bclibrary.coop to see the calendar of upcoming events, to search the catalogue or to enjoy one of our many interesting databases. Or give us a call at (604) 886-2130. We are open Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.
Take care and stay safe.