Bowen Island Public Library's e-Newsletter • December 2020

Library News

Poster link to Library Winter Book Sale event on bowenlibrary.ca events calendar

Winter Book Sale

During the month of December, find some great holiday reads at the Winter Book Sale in the Annex. The Friends of the Bowen Island Library Society (FOBILS) volunteers have selected some choice titles for you to browse and buy, at always-reasonable prices.

Come by during library open hours with a mask and some change (the sale is cash only).

Book sale proceeds benefit the Bowen Island Public Library. 

 
Link to library calendar event showing holiday closure days.

Library Holiday Hours

The library will be closed a few extra days during the holidays.

  • Wednesday, Dec. 23 — OPEN
  • Thurs, Dec 24-Tues, Dec 29 — Closed
  • Wednesday, Dec. 30 — OPEN
  • Thurs, Dec. 31-Tues, Jan. 5 — Closed

We encourage you to stock up before the holidays! Patrons will be able to check out more than our 30-item limit; overdue fines will not apply during our closed days (as usual), nor for any returns from January 1-15.

Already have books out? Renew them anytime online using My Account or contact us to renew them before our closure.

In the new year we will return to our regular COVID open hours:

  • Wed-Sat, 12-3 pm
  • Seniors' Hours on Thursdays 10 am-12 pm

Thank you for your understanding as we allow Library staff to have a holiday break.

See Our Calendar

 
Link to Library's Storytime page, with Storytime videos

Online Storytime

Stories, songs, and play activities for 2-4 year-olds. New storytime videos posted weekly on the Bowen Island Public Library’s website and YouTube channel.

Go to Online Storytime

 

Farewell, Jordyn!

Sadly, our Library Assistant-Virtual Program Coordinator, Jordyn Zirk, is nearing the end of her work period with us!

Jordyn recently finished her Master's degree in Library and Information Studies at UBC. Since beginning with us in July, she coordinated Summer Reading Club, StoryWalk Stations, How To? Database Talks, our social media postings, December's Online Storytime, and more, all during the "new normal" of COVID.

We thank Jordyn for her work with us, and wish her a fond farewell and best wishes for her new year!

 

Q & A's from our Survey: A Place to Rest?

In our recent survey, we had lots of great questions and comments about the library.

One question was, "I understand that we should not be lingering too long in the library, but is it okay if I sit down and rest while I browse?"

Yes—we encourage express browsing and ask that you limit your time to 30 minutes due to our limited capacity. We also understand that people may need to take a rest, so there is limited seating in the library to allow for browsing breaks.

 

Grandfriends Pen Pals Update

This fall, Bowen Island Community School and the Bowen Library put a call out for Bowen Islanders 55+ to come be a "Grandfriend" to BICS students by participating in a new Pen Pal program.

Seventeen Grandfriends and 148 BICS students shared their first round of letters with each other in October and November. Some preferred email, while many wrote hand-written letters. While some exchanges were 1-to-1, the primary classes wrote "class letters" to their Grandfriends.

The first letter exchange was about introductions, and no doubt all the participants will learn more about their new pen pal friends as the program continues in the new year!

The Grandfriends Pen Pal program is a new pilot program created in collaboration between the Bowen Island Public Library and Bowen Island Community School. This program promotes inter-generational community connections and the skills and joy to be found in letter-writing.

Photo: BICS students Liam (left) and Baye (right) hold a packet of letters ready to be sent off to their Grandfriend Pen Pals. Photo by Sarah Haxby.

 

New Children's & YA Books

Click here to find links to recommended reading and our latest Kids & Teens books.
Click the following featured book titles to see them in our catalogue and place a hold.

Fresh on the Shelves

Click the following featured book titles to see them in our catalogue and place a hold.

Featured Online Resource

AtoZ Maps Online

Do you love exploring maps? AtoZ World Maps is one of the world’s largest online collections of maps (over 100,000) including "modern maps,” “antique maps,” “Holy Land maps,” geological and topographical maps, and many more.

This database was made available to Bowen Library patrons for free during COVID.

Find this and many more free databases on our Electronic Resources page.

Go To AtoZ Maps Online

Go To AtoZ Maps Online
Go To AtoZ Maps Online
Go To AtoZ Maps Online
 

More Available Library Services

Takeout for Contactless Pickup

Still available! Just ask.

If you are not comfortable coming inside the library, please be in touch with us to arrange for contactless pickup of your requested items. We are happy to pre-checkout your items and hand them to you at the door.

If you are self-isolating or are feeling unwell, please contact us so we can prepare your items to be picked up by a friend or another family member.

You can request specific available items, or we can choose a variety of books for at-home browsing. Contact the library by email at info@bowenlibrary.ca or call (604) 947-9788.

Learn More About Holds and Takeout

 

Tech Tutor

Our Tech Tutor provides patient, friendly, one-on-one help for any of your technology challenges.

Currently, all tech help appointments are being done remotely (by phone, Zoom, etc.) due to current provincial health orders. 

Bring your laptop, tablet, smartphone, camera, or e-reader. All tech topics are welcome, such as help with email, Zoom, web searching, photos, social networks, password management, updates, security, file organization, or learning the basic operations of your latest gadget.

Please call us at (604) 947-9788 or email info@bowenlibrary.ca to book an appointment for technology help.

Find Out More

 

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Library Open Hours

  • 12-3 pm Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat
  • Seniors' Hours Thurs 10 am-12 pm 
  • Book return now open at all times.