Dorset libraries to offer order and collect service from this July

Following the Government’s recent announcement, libraries managed by Dorset Council will start a phased a re-opening from 8 July.

Books on book shelf
Image: Nick Fewings

The initial re-opening plans, focussed on the safety of customers and library employees, will provide existing users with an order and collect service. People will be able to order their preferred categories of books and other items to collect at an allocated time from 22* of Dorset’s 23 libraries.

Books will be available to order online at www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries from 8 July by simply completing a short form about reading preferences. For those without online access, an order can be made by phoning 01305 228400.

The service is available for all ages – for adults, young people and children. There will be a bag of up to 10 books and other items such as talking books or DVDs waiting for collection. These will be based on the type of books people normally select for themselves such as Romance. The items can be borrowed for up to 4 weeks.

The collections and returns process will be contactless and pre-arranged timeslots mean the number of people visiting at any one time can be managed. All books will be quarantined in line with national guidance.

From 6 July, people will be able to return books and other items currently on loan via library letterboxes (except for Beaminster*).

All current loans that would have been due back during the lockdown period have been extended to the end of August. Any overdue charges that customers might have incurred as a result of library closures due to COVID-19 have been waived.

Later in July, further services will be available at 9 Dorset libraries, in the north, east, south and west of the county. These are: Blandford, Bridport, Dorchester, Ferndown, Gillingham, Sherborne, Wareham, Weymouth and Wimborne. Initially, opening hours will be reduced and a limited number of visitors will be allowed in the buildings at any one time.

There will be the opportunity for people to browse the books and reserve use of the public access computers. More information will be made available on www.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/libraries

Activities and events, such as rhyme time and reading groups, which have been highly popular online during lockdown, will continue to be internet-based for the time being. The increased number of e-books and publications, including newspapers and magazines, will also continue to be available online.

Councillor Tony Alford, Customer, Community and Regulatory Services portfolio holder said: “During lockdown, our library teams worked hard to minimise the disruption to customers by offering a range of fun and informative services via the internet.

“We saw a tremendous increase in new online subscribers during lockdown. However, I know many people missed the human interaction a visit to the library can give.

“Although libraries are going to look and feel very different as they re-open with limited services on offer, I am sure customers will be pleased to physically access their local library again and have a much-needed refresh of their reading material.

“The library teams are excited about returning to some normality too, although things will obviously be very different for a while!”

Plans to extend the services of Dorset’s remaining 14 council-managed will be developed based on the learning and experience of opening the initial 9 libraries, putting the health and safety of customers and employees first at all times. The council is also liaising with the 8 independent community managed libraries about their plans for re-opening.

* Beaminster Library is currently unable to participate in the order and collect service as the layout of the building means it cannot meet all the required safety measures. It shares its lobby with residential flats and it is difficult for the council to clear the letterbox on a regular basis to keep it safe for the building’s residents. Items due back to Beaminster library can be returned to any Dorset library (for example, Bridport). Any overdue charges would be waived if Beaminster library does not re-open for some time.

114 Shares

35 thoughts on “Dorset libraries to offer order and collect service from this July


  1. Could you tell me if we can still order ind new books ie fiction and if so how will that work ie pick up and returns.
    Thanks.


    1. Hi Helen, you will be able to specify the type of books you would like.The form available on the library pages of our website from 8 July will enable you to do this. Alternatively, you will be able to make a telephone call on 01305 228400 from the 8th. You will be able to collect your books at a prearranged timed. Returns can be dropped off from 6 July via the library letter boxes. Regards, Claire


      1. You don’t mention Crossways library, when is anything likely to happen with Crossways? Not everyone has a car to get to the big libraries.


        1. Hi Jean We’re working to reopen all libraries, including Crossways, as soon as possible. It is a phased reopening, putting the safety of our customers and employees first, but we want to reassure you we are doing everything we can within the limitations available to return to normal as soon as we can, Claire.


  2. I have read so many books that just ordering a catagory is not sensible.
    Why can I not order specific books as before.
    I have a long list, but don’t want to collect something I don’t want. And I have an order in which I want to read things.
    I’ve waited 4 months to order my book list.
    I know you are all working hard and I appreciate this, but this new arrangement doesn’t help me on bit.
    I am old enough to choose my own books.
    I have been longing for the library to reopen, but this just a huge disappointment


    1. Hi Kate We’re sorry that you are disappointed. Many people have missed using their local library during the closure period, but this is the first step in returning to a normal service. We are expecting a lot of interest in this first phases, and unfortunately that means we are not able to provide a bespoke service due to limited books and employees.

      We are working towards re-opening some of our libraries in the next few weeks, which will enable you to visit and make your own choices. However we must put your safety and that of our employees first, which means we cannot return to that service just yet.

      We are working on getting our reservation service up and running as soon as we can as part of our gradual reopening of services.
      Best regards, Claire


    2. Hi, I have some books being held at Dorchester library, when will I be able to collect them under the new rules?? Thank you


  3. I have really missed the library. I am not a kindle owner as I still believe books are best borrowed or bought and passed on, also the cost of buying a kindle is prohibitive for a lot of us. Dorset Council are doing a great job with the libraries. But I disagree with the statement “many people missed the human interaction a visit to the library can give”. For myself it is not about the interaction but actually being able to get a book, I cant afford a kindle and reading on a phone does not work for me or a lot of people. So we do need physical libraries.


  4. What an utter useless response from the Library . All other sectors can manage but not it seems our Library staff. So you can ask for books which will be made up of books you have read or dont want !! what a joke. The books could be ordered on line from Libraries West , or by phone ,quarantined for a week then a time arranged to collect. Perhaps the council could offload the library service out to private contract and save some ratepayers cash , . It may do a better job. Utterly disgusted with this travesty.


    1. We’re sorry to hear that our initial reopening plans are disappointing for you. The library teams are working hard behind the scenes to get things back to normal as quickly as they can within the current guidelines and facilities available. This is the first step in our phased return to normal and we are planning to reopen some libraries later this month which will enable people to visit and make their own book choices. The safety and health of our employers and customers is our primary concern, claire.


    2. Our library service is one of the communities greatest assets making books accessible for all. My whole family have very much appreciated the ordering service which otherwise would have been unaffordable. To say I am disappointed that the ordering service will not be in place from today is an understatement. Poor show Dorset Council….surely 4 months of lockdown has given sufficient time to sort out plans to keep staff and public safe.


  5. Agree with Kate and Kathy ordering a “selection of books” you have probably read or dont want is nonsense. This simply creates work as most will just be dumped back the next day . The private sector has responded with sensible plans yet it seems our libraries are unable or unwilling to do so . Books could be quarantined and ordered on line , available to pick up when safe. This is like trying to place an order from Tesco and being sent a random selection of food I wont eat. Dissapointed hardly covers it . Seems Dorset Council need to consider outsourcing it Library service if this is the best it can do.


  6. I went to Poole library this morning but after seeing what was happening there wish I hadn`t bothered.You are not offering a proper library service and might as well have remained closed. Why have a library where you cannot choose books? The few that were on offer were a very poor selection.There were many members of staff simply hanging around doing nothing so why have them there ?
    Lockdown is supposed to be over now and the ridiculous precautions you are taking are unnecessary. I want a proper library service to which as a council tax payer I am entitled.Have you taken note of what is happening in other local authority areas?


  7. I have a number of books on order from pre-lockdown, but they are due to be collected at Verwood. Is it possible to collect them at Wimborne instead?


  8. I have a book out from Colehill library, but it is too thick to fit through the letterbox. How do I return this book, please.


    1. Hi Martin, you can return your library book to any Dorset library – so you could try and return it to Wimborne. Alternatively you could wait until libraries re-open and return in person. At the current time all loans have been extended and are not incurring any overdue charges. Claire


  9. Some ungrateful folk about ! It won’t be long before you realise somethings will never be the same and you should be grateful that’s you’re still able to enjoy some of life’s pleasures. There’s currently 45000 who can’t, some died helping others and paid the ultimate price.
    Yet people are still willing to only think of their own personal needs and not the whole community picture. Tell you what, if you’re after a specific book buy it yourself. It’s a public library, not a personal ordering service yet they are trying to help out in these dark times and get criticism that’s uncalled for.


  10. Thank you to everyone for making a good effort to get us back to Libraries. I am assuming your difficulties are around handling books and making sure they are thoroughly clean before lending them rather than worrying about space between workers and borrowers. So thank you for your best efforts and may we be grateful for that.


  11. Is Sturminster Newton library participating in this
    scheme


  12. Let’s not be in too much of a hurry to throw the proverbial baby out with the bathwater. I agree that it is disappointing that we can’t order specific books from our home library for collection. Libraries have not had the long term investment (in staff and kit) required to run IT systems as complex as those of a multi-million pound supermarket and the current pandemic situation is hopefully a once in several generations experience.

    We have some kind of opening, we can go through our bundles and return any items we aren’t going to read for whatever through the library letter box immediately without having to take them home. At least then because they will have been deemed to have been ‘loaned’ once to us, they shouldn’t appear in the next selection. This isn’t school, no one is going to force you to read any of the books you are given. Take a risk and you might discover something you like which in other circumstances you might never have tried.

    Oh, and I don’t work for Dorset Council. I’m just a library user like everyone else.


  13. I agree exactly with Kate Rawlins. I too have a long booklist that I have spent time researching and now would like to read. Giving me books not on my list is a waste of resource, because I do not want them. It is apparent the people who thought this up are not library book readers and do not have an understanding of their users.
    I live in Beaminster, so can I use Crewkerne instead, as you’ve taken my library away ?


  14. All the people complaining about this – then don’t do it. Wait a couple more weeks until the libraries are properly open, when you can pick the books you want, and maybe accept the fact that in the middle of a pandemic things are going to be a bit different to how they were before. Someone’s comment that ‘this like ordering from a supermarket and getting a random selection of food I don’t want’ – this is exactly what was happening with the supermarkets in the first few weeks of this crisis. In time they got it right, but they had to get the systems in place first, and so will the libraries. I’m just sorry that people are so ungracious and unpleasant when the Council is just trying to do its best.


  15. I have to agree with previous comments. I have about 8 to 10 books that I am waiting to read and know where they are available from the Libraries West website. I don’t want to browse in the library, just order and/or collect the books that I am waiting to read. A selection chosen by the library staff will almost certainly be either books I have read or books that I don’t wish to read.


  16. I don’t understand why the library catalogue cannot be used to choose your own books! If you only want people to select from the library they are collecting from then can that not be put into the program? Or why can we not go into the library’s? You can limit numbers we could wait to go in? I am living in a world where I can take my children to a theme park or into Poundland but not a library!!! They have read so many books that a random selection is not going to be suitable. We have never had much money but I have never felt my children to be at a disadvantage before as they have had access to the library! They have never been without library books! We have never been more than 2 weeks without going into the library it has been so long now!!! We are so disappointed and sad! When will we be able to choose our own books?


  17. What is happening about Book Clubs? We are still awaiting confirmation of a resumpton of the service to us members. I presume we simply return the books in the way you recommended we keep from our last ‘Borrow’ as per this email?


    1. Hi Carole, the team have been focusing on getting our libraries re-open and are now looking at the Reading Group service. They will provide an update on this shortly, Claire


  18. Like many others I am amazed at the lack of imagination displayed by Dorset Council. As a previous comment suggested, we can order books we like online. We can be told when to collect them online. We can socially distanced when retrieving our books wearing gloves. We can leave them in the garage for a day or two to avoid cross-infection. We can return them in the existing chute
    Really, is it asking too much for you to use some common sense? What you have suggested regarding offering a selection of books on various topics is absurd. Mike Joslin


  19. When will we be able to use Tourist Information to renew our shopping car park permits ?


  20. It is very disappointing , but not unexpected to see that the library service, prompted by Dorset council, has come up with the most complicated and ineffectual answer to the problem. No-one wants a bag of books chosen by someone else, that is the whole point of visiting a library to make your own selection or ordering the next in a series you are following. Start again and think about the service users this time!


  21. What about ‘Book Clubs’ ? Will they be back and running again soon ? Also we would have started to order new books for 2021 by now.
    Please let me know when you will be in a position to reinstate this service.


  22. We are all aware of the high standed , Dorset library has ,someone who used it for 60 years has allways enjoy it. know what is going on , i understand about safe for everyone and fully support it ,but when a person can not pick the book then going to read and enjoy, maybe something is lost in the world. Hope this is only for a short time , As history has show in the past , take books away, you want to read . replace with books you are told to read


  23. The order and collect service is ridiculous, it wouldn’t take any longer to select a specific book from the shelf if available, or let the person know if not available. I certainly wouldn’t want anyone to choose a book from a “category” for me. I will continue to buy used paperbacks from Amazon until you start a proper service. These can then be donated to charity shops.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *