Toronto Public Library starts its curbside drop-off service today
On Monday, the Toronto Public Library (TPL) began the rollout of its curbside drop-off and pick-up service.
Last week, the TPL said that select library drop boxes will be opened to accept the return of library materials and on June 1, drop boxes at all remaining accessible branches will open to accept returns.
The TPL estimates that there are more than one million items currently out on loan.
Throughout this time, library customers can continue to place holds online, through the TPL website and will then be able to pick up their materials through a curbside pick-up service which will be available in early June.
The suspension of fines implemented when the pandemic began will continue until regular service resumes.
“Safely and carefully reopening our libraries to residents in this phased approach is another step in our journey to recovery and getting residents back to activities they engaged in prior to the pandemic,” Mayor John Tory said in a statement last week.
“We look forward to reopening more programs and services in the coming weeks and months when our public health officials advise that it is safe to do so.”
According to the TPL, over the next two weeks they will be opening up our drop boxes in two stages:
On Monday, May 25, drop boxes at the following 17 branches will open:
- Agincourt | 155 Bonis Avenue
- Albion | 1515 Albion Road
- Barbara Frum | 20 Covington Road
- Bloor/Gladstone | 1101 Bloor Street West
- Brentwood | 36 Brentwood Road North
- Cedarbrae | 545 Markham Road
- Don Mills | 888 Lawrence Avenue East
- Fairview | 35 Fairview Mall Drive
- Lillian H. Smith | 239 College Street
- Malvern | 30 Sewells Road
- Maria A. Shchuka | 1745 Eglinton Avenue West
- North York Central Library | 5120 Yonge Street
- Northern District | 40 Orchard View Boulevard
- Pape/Danforth | 701 Pape Avenue
- Richview | 1806 Islington Avenue
- S. Walter Stewart | 170 Memorial Park Avenue
- Toronto Reference Library | 789 Yonge Street
On Monday, June 1, they’ll open drop boxes at all remaining accessible branches.
While all library branches remain closed to the public for in-branch services, many online library services continue to be available.
Also, to help the City’s most vulnerable during the pandemic, 11 of TPL’s branches have been set up as pop-up food banks and have been “serving thousands of clients over the past two months.”
As these branches open to curbside pick-up of materials, these food banks will be transitioned to other community partners, with no interruption of service.