New policy allows library books to circulate throughout the province

TRURO - Public library use just got easier thanks to a new "borrow anywhere, return anywhere" policy established in the province.
"I think it's going to be wonderful," said Lesley Brann, administrator of Adult and Outreach Services at the Colchester East Hants Public Library in Truro, of the new service that allows library cardholders access to more than 100 libraries in the province.
"We have a very mobile population," she said, "and this allows them the chance to pick up an audio book when they might be down in Digby, listen to it as they're driving on their way to Antigonish and drop it off at the Antigonish public library."
The service was recently launched by Department of Education Minister Marilyn More and Brann said it "almost immediately" became a hit among library users.
"As soon as the word started getting out the activity started showing up," Brann said. "People think it's wonderful."
The program was developed by Libraries Nova Scotia as a collaboration of all
public, college and university libraries in the province to create seamless, barrier-free library access.
"Nova Scotians are voracious library users, borrowing more than seven million items last year from public libraries alone," More said. "This innovative program gives each library user a whole province full of choices."
For people who are away from their home community and would like to borrow an item from a public library or a university or community college library, you need only bring identification or a public library card to get a free membership at any participating library. Returning borrowed items now is as simple as dropping them off at the nearest library, regardless of where in the province it was taken out from.
Brann feels the program will be especially beneficial for people who live in one community and work in another, summer cottage residents or those who simply travel throughout the province.
And, another great part of the service, she said, is that fees that had been charged by university libraries no longer exist.
"It used to be that academic libraries had off-campus borrowing practices but they charged for the card," she said.
"That charge is now gone ... that barrier has been removed."

hsullivan@trurodaily.com