OTTAWA — Starting Monday, June 14, 2021, most of Ottawa Public Library’s 31 open branches will offer contactless services inside branches, including the use of public computers, as part of Step 1 of the Province’s three-step reopening plan. Until then, current curbside services are in effect through to Sunday, June 13.
Those branches are:
- Alta Vista
- Beaverbrook
- Blackburn Hamlet
- Carlingwood
- Carp
- Centennial
- Constance Bay
- Cumberland
- Elmvale Acres
- Emerald Plaza
- Greely
- Greenboro
- Hazeldean
- Main
- Manotick
- Munster
- Nepean Centrepointe
- North Gloucester
- North Gower
- Osgoode
- Richmond
- Rideau
- Rockcliffe Park
- Ruth E. Dickinson
- St. Laurent
- Stittsville
- Sunnyside
- Vanier
Please note that the following branches will not offer fully contactless services:
- Orléans branch will be closed from June 14 through 19 for maintenance. It will reopen on June 21.
- Rosemount branch will offer contactless service from its first floor – without access to public computers – until the second floor of the renovated facility is fully equipped.
- Metcalfe Village branch will not offer access to a public computer as the space does not allow physical distancing.
Homebound and Bookmobile Services will continue, though customers will not be able to enter the vehicle where physical distancing is not possible.
Around-the-clock book drops are back! Starting June 14, Library materials can be returned anytime via book drops at all 31 open branches as provincial requirements to quarantine returned library materials has been lifted. Returned items will be removed automatically from accounts after being returned.
Kiosk Services at the Hunt Club-Riverside Park Community Centre remain closed until further notice.
Holds can be picked up on shelves and checked out at self-checkout stations inside the branch. Due to branch capacity limits, cardholders will be encouraged to limit in-branch time to ensure equitable access to as many people as possible. Line-ups may occur outside branches.
Public computers are available with a reservation. Please ask an OPL staff member to borrow a Chromebook. Document printing is also available by request. Outdoor WiFi is accessible at many branches.
Hours of operation remain the same with the recent addition of Sunday hours from 1 pm to 5 pm in June at OPL’ssix largest branches across Ottawa: Beaverbrook, Cumberland, Greenboro, Main, Nepean Centrepointe, and Ruth E. Dickinson—as well as for OPL’s InfoService.
OPL continues to follow direction from the Province of Ontario and guidance from Ottawa Public Health to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community, and as such, mask-wearing inside branches and outside in line remains mandatory. Following the three-step reopening plan, we anticipate Step 2 at OPL could begin by July 5, with Step 3 by July 26, subject to provincial authority.
BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca, the OPL website, is available 24/7 for virtual browsing of our catalogue, varied digital resources and a wide range of virtual programs.