If you didn’t have one before, you may want to add a library card to your quarantine entertainment arsenal. E-books, audiobooks and even a streaming service have all been available to you free of charge, even before the pandemic hit.

The Ottawa Public Library will kick-off curbside pick-up in a few weeks so you can get your hands on Reese Witherspoon’s latest book club pick or the book you’ve been meaning to read but didn’t want to buy.

Curbside pick-up will start June 15th at the following locations:

· Beaverbrook branch

· Cumberland branch

· Greenboro branch

· Main branch

· Nepean Centrepointe branch

· Ruth E. Dickinson branch

You can also return your books at those locations starting June 8th. You will need to make an appointment to pick up your books.

Books will be quarantined

The Ottawa Public Library says due dates for items checked out before we entered the state of emergency have been pushed back to September. The library has also confirmed it will not be charging late fees for now.

Your book will likely be classified as checked out in the days after you return. This is because books will be quarantined for 72 hours before they move on to the next person.

Other resources during the pandemic

The library has staff available for a virtual house call if you need help navigating their resources. The library will host a variety of virtual events for Indigenous History Month. There are also Zoom story times available on Tuesdays of this month. You can get a temporary library card here.