The Island’s Family Library has closed to the public with immediate effect, in line with measures announced by the government in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.

At a time when the majority of the population is being urged to stay at home, the team will be maintaining social distancing.

However, it is looking to introduce new practices, which should be in place by March 30, to ensure children and young people, as well as the elderly population, still have access to its services.

This included:

â?¢ Staff are investigating the feasibility of operating a ’Library Porch’ in the lock-up facility next to the main library on Westmoreland Road in Douglas where people can request items and then collect.

â?¢ Staff will also be constructing a number of activity boxes containing books, games, DVDs and other educational and leisure items that will be loaned out. They do not need to be returned until the library re-opens.

â?¢ A storage facility next to the main library hall will be open to the public, comprising books and other items for both children and adults.

â?¢ Groups and individuals who run courses will be given access to the library’s fibre broadband so they can offer live or recorded webinars over the internet to a remote but interactive audience using Zoom Webinars.

Kurt Roosen, chairman of the Family Library, said: ’We hope people appreciate the decision to close is difficult as it effectively removes options for parents and children at the same time as other options are narrowing.

’This is why we are striving to find inventive and collaborative ways to continue to reach out into our community and maintain some form of interaction.

’Our outreach services have delivered some 2,200 books over the past eight days and by Friday we would expect a high percentage of our 40,000 bookstore to be out in the community, as well as the majority of our other resources such as games and DVDs.

’We hope that by introducing these new initiatives and opening up our technical capabilities to third parties, we can maintain a high level of service for the community which will be offered without charge but on a best endeavours basis.

’We would obviously ask you to be considerate to others and only take a reasonable amount of items for your own purposes. We will also have clear signage in place to explain where the facilities are.

’We hope everyone stays safe and look forward to seeing everyone again in person in the not-too-distant future.’

You can follow the Family Library on Facebook or send emails to [email protected].