SINN Féin’s Foyle Martina Anderson has welcomed the reopening of libraries saying they are vital for local communities.
The Foyle MLA was speaking after meeting the Head of Services at Derry’s Central Library Trisha Ward to see the re-organisation of the layout of the library as the local libraries as being phased open.
Libraries had been in lockdown since March when the Coronavirus pandemic erupted here.
Said Ms Anderson: “I was pleased to visit the Central Library this week and speak with the Head of Services Trisha Ward to see at first hand how local libraries are reorganising and getting ready for a phased opening coming out of COVID-19.
“There has been the installation of plastic screens, safety notices and making hand sanitisers available.
“Libraries are a massively important service in our city.
“Since the lockdown, 15,000 people registered online with libraries across the north for eBook services.
“They also offer a library helpline and ‘book and collect’ service where members of the public can ring up and ask for a collection of books to be left aside and arrange a contactless collection.
“In the next few weeks services will be scaled up including those for children and young people- “Rhythm and Rhyme” classes will be resuming for children over zoom.”
