Arena

What To Expect In Our Libraries  

Libraries will begin to reopen with a limited number of services from Monday 6th July.

The following libraries are open with public access to choose books from the shelves and use the computer facilities: 
Barnstaple, Bideford, Braunton, Chagford, Chudleigh, Crediton, Dartmouth, Dawlish, Exeter, Exmouth, Hayridge Cafe, Honiton,Ilfracombe, Ivybridge, Passmore Edwards Centre, Okehampton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton, Sidmouth, St Thomas, South Molton, Tavistock, Teignmouth, Tiverton

From w/c 10th August the following libraries will be open for public access:
Axminster, Bovey Tracey, Budleigh Salterton, Chagford, Coombe Martin, Holsworthy, Kingskerswelland Stoke Flemming 

A ‘Choose and Collect’ service starts from Monday 6th July, at most libraries, telephone or email your local library and arrange a collection date for titles selected for you.

Devon Mobile Library service will restart from Monday 13th July running a reduced service.

The Home Library Service will resume from some libraries from Monday 13th July.

A Book Delivery service – Books by foot, bike and post is available at some libraries.

Reservations using our website are currently unavailable, but you can contact your library to see if a book is available for Choose and Collect.

We are pleased to let you know that our libraries are starting the phased reopening plan.  Here’s what we are doing to welcome you back safely:

Our Services

Choose and Collect  
To use our new free of charge ‘Choose and Collect’ service telephone or email your local library, we will select your books or DVDs and you can collect them from the library entrance at a pre-arranged time.

Download and stream free eBooks, eAudiobooks and eMagazines from our extensive collection. You can use our online resources from home and access to Ancestry Library Edition has been extended to Devon Libraries through to the end of September.

Book Delivery – Books by foot, bike and post (available from selected libraries only) 
Our local Book Delivery service allows you to borrow books, DVDs and other library stock from your local library if you live nearby. Simply telephone your library, we will select items based on our discussion and we will make a delivery to your home.

For books not currently stocked in your local library please contact Exeter Library on 01392 407027 or exeter.library@librariesunlimited.org.uk for our Books by Post service (please note due to a kind donation we are able to offer this postal service for free until further notice).

Library Service at pilot libraries
From Monday 6th July, we will offer a limited service at our pilot libraries (Braunton, Chudleigh and Honiton) and will roll out opening across Devon over the following weeks.

What to expect in our Libraries

Opening Times
Libraries will initially offer limited opening times and reduced services.

Opening times will vary for each library and may change over future weeks, so do check opening times for your local library before you make your journey.

Signs and queue management
To keep everyone safe we have installed safety signage throughout our libraries.  Safe queuing will be in place to enter the library. We have 2m social distancing measures, hand sanitisation stations and one-way systems to help the safe flow of customers through our libraries.

Customer Numbers
Our libraries vary in size, and we will limit the number of customers at any one time.  Factors such as layout, number of floors, staffing and services available may play a part in our safety management.

Hand sanitiser and cleaning
We have invested in hand sanitiser stations for each library, enabling you to sanitise when entering the library. Cleaning will be in place for services such as our public computers and self-service kiosks.  Each library has been cleaned in advance of our return and has regular cleaning in place.

Test & Trace
You can voluntarily provide Libraries Unlimited with your name and telephone number to support NHS Test and Trace. Please speak to a member of staff if you wish to do so. 

For more information about NHS Test and Trace   

Click here for full details of Libraries Unlimited’s Test and Trace privacy policy

Social distancing
Each library has changed layouts to ensure adequate space for you to move around in safety.  We have marked up our floor space to support social distancing and we request that 2m social distancing is observed by all staff and customers.

Face coverings
From Friday 24th July, we are requesting that customers wear face coverings in our libraries.  This is to ensure that we keep each other safe.  Always maintain social distancing in our libraries and follow our 2m guidance.  For government guidance on face coverings click here.

Quarantining returned books
For safety reasons libraries may initially be offering a more limited selection of stock for people to choose from. All books and items returned to the library will undergo 72 hours quarantine before they are discharged from your account and returned to the library shelves. We will be asking you to place returned items into a box near the library entrance to keep them separate for quarantining.

Browsing books – quarantining
We recognise that libraries are places where you enjoy browsing and that glancing through a book before is often an integral part of the experience.

In the event you change your mind, we have installed ‘browsing trolleys or boxes’ where you can safely leave a book or item you have handled and no longer wish to borrow. At the end of each day, stock from our browsing trolleys will be safely stored away for 72 hours to quarantine them from coronavirus transmission. This system is in place to support safety in our libraries.

Booking computers

Services such as computer access, printing and photocopying will be available in our libraries with a view to rolling-out these services as more libraries reopen.

Computer sessions may be limited to 1 hour and are bookable online, by phone, email or in person at your library.  Please speak to library staff if you think you may need extra time.

Please have the exact money to pay for any printing as there is currently no change available.

Computers are situated to allow for 2m social distancing and will be cleaned between every use. The numbers of computers available at your library will be reduced because of this safety measure.

Computer support
Please see the new links available on the public computer desktops for help with computers and IT queries.  We will not be able to give assistance with the computers at this time.

Children’s libraries
Children and families are very important to us and we want to make sure children continue to have a positive experience from their local library.

Our offer for children and young people will vary from library to library, based on space and local arrangements.

Please visit our social media and website for details of the amazing online programme we have available over the next few months.

We welcome feedback from you about your library experience.

Events
Events in libraries will remain suspended for now but you can still enjoy the activities and events that we are streaming and sharing online.

We will continue to develop our online digital offer so you have plenty of choice from the comfort of your home.  Find out more via devonlibraries.org.uk or torbaylibraries.org.uk

Reservations

Online reservations have been reintroduced and are available via our websites

Account limits
You can now borrow a maximum of 24 books. This is a temporary measure and will be reviewed in December 2020.

Returning items
For all items borrowed prior to lockdown, we have extended loan dates through to the end of August 2020 in order to phase book returns. Please can we request that you continue to hold onto books, CDs and DVDs. We do not require you to make a special visit to your local library to return items and you will be able to return them from when your library reopens throughout July and August. There will be no fines as your current loan period has been extended.

Payments
We encourage you to make payments via our self-service kiosks, and in libraries where we have contactless payment via card.  We will only take cash payment where card payment is not possible and will not be able to offer change.

Cafés
The Hayridge Café reopens on Monday 27th July and will be open Monday – Friday, 9.30am-3pm and Saturdays, 9.30am-12.30pm.  Exeter Library café and Passmore Edwards Centre café reopening dates will be confirmed as soon as possible. 

Our cafes have signed up to the Eat Out To Help Out Scheme giving customers a 50% discount on food and non-alcoholic drinks to eat or drink in (up to a maximum of £10 discount per diner) every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday in August.

Other Facilities
Our customer lifts will be limited to one person, or one family group at a time.

Our customer toilets will remain closed until further notice to maintain a safe environment.

Seating areas in most libraries will be limited or removed due to space restrictions and social distancing.

Visiting us for the first time?
If you are visiting us for the first time please join online in advance. You will be able to use our digital services immediately. When you come to the library please bring your temporary [UNREG] number and we will provide you with your library card.

Staff
The safety of both our staff and our customers are important to us, and we are working hard to ensure libraries provide a safe and protective environment.

Following government guidance our staff are provided with safety equipment and you may see us wearing gloves, masks or visors.  All members of staff have completed Health & Safety training on how to work safely in this new environment.

Which libraries are open?

‘Choose and Collect’ – from Monday 6th July at most libraries. Please visit your local library page for information.
The libraries listed below will be open with reduced opening hours, limited capacity and service.  Opening hours may change so we recommend that you check individual library pages before you visit.  

w/c 6th July
Braunton
Brixham
Chudleigh
Honiton

w/c 13th July
Mobile Library Service 
Home Library Service

w/c 20th July
Crediton
Dartmouth
Exmouth
Ilfracombe
Sidmouth
St Thomas
Tavistock
Okehampton
South Molton

w/c 27th July
Barnstaple
Bideford
Exeter
Hayridge (Library and Cafe)
Ivybridge
Passmore Edwards Centre
Teignmouth
Tiverton

w/c 3rd August
Dawlish
Ottery St Mary
Seaton

w/c 10th August
Axminster
Bovey Tracey
Budleigh Salterton
Chagford
Combe Martin
Holsworthy
Kingskerswell
Stoke Fleming

The following libraries are currently closed - Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Salcombe and Totnes.  Totnes will reopen from Monday 10th August offering our Choose & Collect service.  We are working on the reopening date and will confirm details as soon as possible.

 

Dates will be confirmed phase by phase and are subject to change.

Join the Digital Library
You can join the library by visiting this page. Once you have completed the online joining form, you will be given a temporary [UNREG] number, which will enable you to access our digital library immediately. As and when our libraries re-open we will process all temporary memberships registered during this closure period and we will issue a library card to you.

Meeting Room Hire
We’re looking forward to welcoming people back to our meeting rooms, and we are taking bookings now for meetings starting from 1st September.

We’re keeping a close eye on any changes to Government guidance, so please understand that if this changes, we may need to be in touch to advise you if this affects your booking.

To make a booking or for room hire enquiries please call 0333 2342123 or email roomhire@librariesunlimited.org.uk

 

Lockdown - Library Service FAQs

Borrowing

• Maximum number of book loans has increased to 24 books (19/06/20) This is a temporary measure and will be reviewed in December 2020.

Renewals, reservations and charges

• All overdue charges incurred from Friday 20th March onwards have been suspended.
• We are in the process of renewing all customer issues so that no item will need to be returned before 31st August 2020.
• Please can we request that library customers hold onto books, CDs and DVDs and return them when we re-open. As mentioned above, there will be no fines and we will keep renewing issues until further notice.
• You will be able to view your new return date online by signing into your library account and proceeding to "My loans".
• If you have forgotten your PIN please click the 'Forgot PIN' option to get a PIN reset sent to your registered email address.
• During this time, online reservations will be unavailable. If you have already placed an online reservation, please note this will not be satisfied until 31st August 2020 at the earliest due to the system closure.
• If you need assistance please email your local library stating your name and library card number.
• Please ignore any automated email messages you receive regarding renewing your items. We are working on the system to stop these messages during our closure period.

Digital Library

Download and stream free eBooks, eAudioBooks and eMagazines.

• We have added 3,500 titles to Overdrive (eBooks and eAudiobooks)
• We now have 1,000 unlimited use eAudiobooks through RB Digital
• A selection of eMagazines are available on RB Digital
• Access eAudiobooks via BorrowBox
• Access the ‘Reading Well’ collections on our digital platform
• Online Reference resources
• Access to Ancestry Library Edition has been temporarily extended to Devon Library members at home, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner Ancestry.
• Our libraries are creating fun online content and live streaming events. Check out individual library Facebook pages for more information.

Join the Digital Library

You can join the library by visiting this page. Once you have completed the online joining form, you will be given a temporary [UNREG] number which will enable you to access our digital library immediately. As and when our libraries re-open we will process all temporary memberships registered during this closure period and we will issue a library card to you.

Contact us

• Via this website
• General telephone enquiries  0345 155 1001
• Contact your local library by email for assistance with renewals or any other enquiries.
• Please bear with us, at this time, as we are receiving an increased number of enquiries
• We can also answer general enquiries and/or forward on general enquiries to the relevant member of the team from our info@ inbox. Please email info@librariesunlimited.org.uk Please note that we aim to respond to all enquiries within 5 working days, but due to the current high level of enquiries and fast-moving national picture, we cannot guarantee this.

Information and advice

Reliable and up to date information about the coronavirus situation is available from:

• Current NHS guidance
• NHS 111 COVID-19 advice service
• Current Public Health England guidance
• Devon County Council
• Torbay Council
• Digital Unite