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As of June 2, the province of Ontario has lifted the Stay at Home order. Georgina Public Library branches will continue to offer our curbside holds pickup service, only.

You can place items on hold through the catalogue or by phoning staff. Once you receive your hold pickup notification (email or phone call), you can visit the library during our open hours to pick up your items. New: Effective Wednesday, May 5, 2021: Hold times for all items is changed to 1 week instead of 2 weeks. While waiting for your items, please maintain 2 metres (6 feet) distance from others and wear a face covering. Please visit our Service Updates page for more details.

For the health and safety of others, we ask that you stay home if you are exhibiting any COVID-19 symptoms.

Take Us with You!

Keep Georgina Public Library in your pocket with our convenient app. Search for "Georgina Public Library" in the App Store or Google Play.
Manage your account, search the catalogue, renew items, and place holds.

The Town is waiving the requirement for bag tags until further notice. The bag limit of five bags/items will remain in place.

Please note: To support the immunization of York Region’s most vulnerable, Public Health is opening a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Georgina Ice Palace. Please note that Library curbside pickup will take place on the southeast side of the building, the Rogers Media entrance for the foreseeable future.

Hours of Operation

Tuesday: 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Wednesday: 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Alternate Saturdays: June 5, June 19)
Pefferlaw Branch: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Alternate Saturdays: June 12, June 26)
Keswick Branch: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. (Every Saturday)

Need to speak to someone outside those times? Try calling us--if we don't answer right away, leave a message, and we will call you back.

Keswick Branch: 905-476-5762
Pefferlaw Branch: 705-437-1514
Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch: 905-722-5702

Loan Periods & Borrowing Limits

There is a limit of 50 items that can be checked out at one time.
Express DVDs can be borrowed for 7 days with no renewals.
Hotspots can be borrowed for 21 days, with 2 renewals if there are no other patrons waiting.
All other materials can be borrowed for 4 weeks, with 2 renewals if there are no other patrons waiting.

What to Expect - Curbside Pickup

Our curbside service for the province-wide shutdown will be similar to the curbside service we provided during the summer.

1. Place Holds

You can place items on hold using our online catalogue or by phoning staff. If you see an item you want that is currently at another branch, we can arrange to have it sent to the branch of your choice for pick up.

Keswick Branch, 905-476-5762, option 2
Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch, 905-722-5702, option 2
Pefferlaw Branch, 705-437-1514, option 2

2. Pickup Items - no appointment needed

Once you receive your hold pickup notification (email or phone call), you can visit the library during our open hours to pickup your items. New: Effective Wednesday, May 5, 2021: Hold times for all items is changed to 1 week instead of 2 weeks.

Signage will be put up to guide you during the pickup process.

If you do not have a cell phone, please call us from home to let us know you are on the way. When you arrive, please ring the doorbell so we know you are there.
If you have a cell phone, please call us from the parking lot to let us know that you have arrived.
Park and walk up to the library branch's curbside pickup zone to pick up your items.
The Curbside Pickup Zones are listed below. Be aware that people also use the entrances at Pefferlaw and Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branches to return material in the drop boxes. The drop box at Keswick Branch is not located near the pickup table.

Keswick Branch: Curbside pickup will take place on the southeast side of the building, the Rogers Media entrance.
Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch: Public entrance -- East side of the building
Pefferlaw Branch: Public entrance -- South side of the building

If you need to return items, please deposit them in the dropbox first, we will not be accepting returns at the pickup tables except for Mobile WiFi Hotspots.
If no one is in front of you when you arrive, come up to the table at the door. If someone else is picking up an order when you arrive, maintain 2 metres (6 feet) distance from others and wear a face covering.
Place your library card on the table with the card number facing up.
Step back from the table by 2 metres (6 feet). Our library staff member will then come out of the branch, check your library card number (contactless), and place your items on the table for you to pick up.
Once the staff member is back inside the building, you can then step forward, pick up your library card and your items, and then you are ready to go.
Staff will be frequently disinfecting the tables.

Services Not Currently Offered

We apologize for the inconvenience, but we are not able to offer the following services at this time:

Computer access
Bag tags
Green bins, blue boxes, kitchen catchers
Fire permits
Parking passes

FAQs

What can I do to prepare for curbside pick-up?
If you have library materials on hold, here’s what we recommend: Cancel any holds that you no longer want. Change the status of any holds you’re not ready for to “suspended”. This will make sure that you keep moving up the queue, but don’t potentially get flooded with all of your holds at once.
How are you ensuring the safety of patrons and staff?
With the delivery of this service, the health and safety of our staff and our customers is our top priority. Our curbside services follows the framework provided by the Province of Ontario, and the advice of the York Region Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, and follows best practices within library and retail industries for the safe delivery of curbside service. Here are some of the measures we are putting in place: All staff will have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when required. Pick-up locations will have proper physical distancing protocols in place. Returned materials will be isolated until they are safe to circulate. Intensive cleaning of branches has been done in advance, including cleaning of upholstery and special disinfecting of high touch surfaces. Regular cleaning and hand washing protocols will be in place.
Is it safe to borrow items at this time?
The safety of our customers and our staff is our highest concern. We are taking precautions to ensure that the items on our shelves and any items returned to us are safe to be handled. All returned items are quarantined for a period of seven days before being checked in and loaned to others. Please don't borrow library materials if you are feeling unwell or if any member of your household is sick or in isolation.
What can I borrow?
You can borrow any items currently in the library – books, DVDs, CDs, video games, audiobooks, magazines, etc. Search the catalogue to see if the items you want are in.
How many items can I or my family borrow?
You can place as many holds as you like; however, you can only borrow 50 items at a time.
How do I place holds?
There are two ways: online or by phone. For each, you will need to know your library card number and PIN. Online – The easiest way to place an order is to visit the library’s catalogue, find the items, and click the ‘Place Hold’ button beside each one you want. Call - Keswick Branch, 905-476-5762, Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch, 905-722-5702, or Pefferlaw Branch, 705-437-1514, and we will place holds for you. If you have to leave a message, be sure to include your name and phone number. Once we fulfill your holds and have called you, if more holds come in for you, these holds will be added to your pickup order.
What if I don't know my library card number or my PIN?
Call the library. We will ask you some questions to confirm your identity and then reset your PIN to whatever 4-digit number/letter combination you want.
Can I put items on hold if I don't have a library card?
You won't be able to place items on hold without a library card. Give any of our branches a call to speak to our staff about setting you up with a library card. Visit our website for more information on reciprocal borrowing.
How long do I have to pick up items on hold, and how long can I borrow items for?
New: Effective Wednesday, May 5, 2021: Hold times for all items is changed to 1 week instead of 2 weeks. You can borrow Express items for one week and all other items for four weeks. No fines will accrue during this time.
How long will it take before I can pick up my requests?
We will try to fill your order as quickly as possible, but it may take a few days depending on how many people use this service.
How are pickups scheduled?
Pickups are no longer by appointment. You can drop by any time that we are open.
Can I bring my family to pick up the items?
We encourage you to designate one person per household to pick up material for everyone. For example, if 2 adults and 3 children all request items on their library cards, only 1 adult comes to the library to pick up the 5 bags of library items. Please make sure you have everyone's library card with you.
Can I ask someone else to pick up my items?
Someone else can pick up your items, but they must have your library card.
I have fines/charges on my account. Can I use this service?
You don’t have to pay any outstanding fines before using this service while the library remains closed.
Why are returned items still appearing on my account?
Returned items are set aside and isolated for a period of three days before they are checked in and removed from your account. But don't worry, no late fees will be charged at this time.
Donations -- Are the library branches taking any right now?
We know that many of you have also been doing some cleaning out of your book cases at home, and might be looking for somewhere to donate books you no longer want. For health and safety reasons, please don’t deposit any donations in our drop boxes. With limited branch space to isolate circulating library materials, we will have to recycle any donations. Please contact other local charities to see if they are accepting donations at this time.

What can I do to prepare for curbside pick-up?

If you have library materials on hold, here’s what we recommend:

Cancel any holds that you no longer want.
Change the status of any holds you’re not ready for to “suspended”. This will make sure that you keep moving up the queue, but don’t potentially get flooded with all of your holds at once.

How are you ensuring the safety of patrons and staff?

With the delivery of this service, the health and safety of our staff and our customers is our top priority.

Our curbside services follows the framework provided by the Province of Ontario, and the advice of the York Region Medical Officer of Health and other health experts, and follows best practices within library and retail industries for the safe delivery of curbside service. Here are some of the measures we are putting in place:

All staff will have Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when required.
Pick-up locations will have proper physical distancing protocols in place.
Returned materials will be isolated until they are safe to circulate.
Intensive cleaning of branches has been done in advance, including cleaning of upholstery and special disinfecting of high touch surfaces.
Regular cleaning and hand washing protocols will be in place.

Is it safe to borrow items at this time?

The safety of our customers and our staff is our highest concern. We are taking precautions to ensure that the items on our shelves and any items returned to us are safe to be handled. All returned items are quarantined for a period of seven days before being checked in and loaned to others.

Please don't borrow library materials if you are feeling unwell or if any member of your household is sick or in isolation.

What can I borrow?

You can borrow any items currently in the library – books, DVDs, CDs, video games, audiobooks, magazines, etc. Search the catalogue to see if the items you want are in.

How many items can I or my family borrow?

You can place as many holds as you like; however, you can only borrow 50 items at a time.

How do I place holds?

There are two ways: online or by phone. For each, you will need to know your library card number and PIN.

Online – The easiest way to place an order is to visit the library’s catalogue, find the items, and click the ‘Place Hold’ button beside each one you want.
Call - Keswick Branch, 905-476-5762, Peter Gzowski (Sutton) Branch, 905-722-5702, or
Pefferlaw Branch, 705-437-1514, and we will place holds for you. If you have to leave a message, be sure to include your name and phone number.
Once we fulfill your holds and have called you, if more holds come in for you, these holds will be added to your pickup order.

What if I don't know my library card number or my PIN?

Call the library. We will ask you some questions to confirm your identity and then reset your PIN to whatever 4-digit number/letter combination you want.

Can I put items on hold if I don't have a library card?

You won't be able to place items on hold without a library card. Give any of our branches a call to speak to our staff about setting you up with a library card.

Visit our website for more information on reciprocal borrowing.

How long do I have to pick up items on hold, and how long can I borrow items for?

New: Effective Wednesday, May 5, 2021: Hold times for all items is changed to 1 week instead of 2 weeks. You can borrow Express items for one week and all other items for four weeks. No fines will accrue during this time.

How long will it take before I can pick up my requests?

We will try to fill your order as quickly as possible, but it may take a few days depending on how many people use this service.

How are pickups scheduled?

Pickups are no longer by appointment. You can drop by any time that we are open.

Can I bring my family to pick up the items?

We encourage you to designate one person per household to pick up material for everyone. For example, if 2 adults and 3 children all request items on their library cards, only 1 adult comes to the library to pick up the 5 bags of library items. Please make sure you have everyone's library card with you.

Can I ask someone else to pick up my items?

Someone else can pick up your items, but they must have your library card.

I have fines/charges on my account. Can I use this service?

You don’t have to pay any outstanding fines before using this service while the library remains closed.

Why are returned items still appearing on my account?

Returned items are set aside and isolated for a period of three days before they are checked in and removed from your account. But don't worry, no late fees will be charged at this time.

Donations -- Are the library branches taking any right now?

We know that many of you have also been doing some cleaning out of your book cases at home, and might be looking for somewhere to donate books you no longer want. For health and safety reasons, please don’t deposit any donations in our drop boxes. With limited branch space to isolate circulating library materials, we will have to recycle any donations. Please contact other local charities to see if they are accepting donations at this time.

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