You now have access to a much larger selection of ebooks and audiobooks on Overdrive and the Libby app thanks to our fantastic partnership with Burlington, Hamilton, Mississauga and Ottawa public libraries. London Public Library patrons can search and borrow from the OverDrive collections of these library systems.

Here's how it works: Click on "Partner libraries" from the menu at the top when you use Overdrive on your computer or browser. On the Libby app, click on the centre "Libby" icon to bring up "Your Libraries". Select "Add a Library" and choose a partner library from the list. Note that holds placed on a partner library item will be prioritized for that library system's patrons first.

The Friends of the Library Book Store at Central Library is now open Monday–Thursday from 10am–3pm and Friday and Saturday from 11am–2pm! Come browse their great selection at fantastic prices. Debit and credit cards are now accepted.

And, on Saturday, August 21, the Friends will be at Covent Garden Market downtown with a pop up book sale from 8am until 1pm.

Note: At this time, we are not accepting book donations at library locations. If you have a large number of books to donate, you can contact the Friends to arrange to pick up.

Please take a few minutes to take the Library's community survey.

Help us understand how you experience the Library and how we can improve the experience for you and for others.

If you are unable to click on the link to the community survey above, you can copy and paste the full URL into your browser: https://www.research.net/r/H7G2J8G

You can also find the survey on our website and on the log in screen of the public computers at all library locations. We'd appreciate your help spreading the word to your London friends and family. The survey closes on August 31.

Thank you for your time!

From thousands of friendly phone calls to London seniors, to upcoming Pop-Up Vaccination Clinics in neighbourhood libraries, London Public Library's partnership with Middlesex-London Health Unit is helping to remove barriers to accessing COVID-19 vaccinations in our community.

This spring, London Public Library and Middlesex County Library partnered with the Middlesex-London Health Unit to support seniors needing assistance in booking COVID-19 vaccinations. Staff at all our library branches reached out by phone to more than 8,000 library patrons over the age of 70. Library staff made online appointments for those without internet access and who were having difficulty booking by telephone and those that were unsure of how to access the online booking system. Feedback on this outreach initiative was overwhelmingly positive, with many seniors telling our staff how much they appreciated this personal contact during what has been an isolating time for many.

Our staff found it extremely rewarding to hear how much our calls were welcomed, sharing stories like this: "An elderly man told me he was trying every morning to book a vaccine appointment by phone but could never get through. He has no internet and was very grateful that I could book an appointment for him."

There were also opportunities to introduce people to our services available from home, including informing several with low vision about our DAISY Talking Books and players that can be borrowed through our Visiting Library Service. We also renewed Library cards, explained our We Pick service, and helped people with downloading ebooks and using other digital services.

As the Middlesex-London Health Unit pivots to making COVID-19 vaccinations more widely available in the community, we are working together to offer Walk-In Pop-Up Vaccination Clinics in several neighbourhood library locations. Vaccination clinics were offered at Sherwood and Beacock branches earlier this month and there was a great response, including from those who had yet to receive their first dose.

Upcoming Pop-Up Clinics:

Walk-In Pop-Up Vaccination Clinic: 1:30-6:30PM

Pick Up Library Service: 10am-7pm

Walk-In Pop-Up Vaccination Clinic: 10AM-4PM

Pick Up Library Service: 10am-7pm

No appointment is needed and a health card is not required to visit a Pop-Up Clinic for your first or second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Find more details and the full Pop-Up clinic schedule on the Health Unit website here.

On Pop-Up Clinic dates, the library location will offer Pick Up service only (no computers, browsing or other in-person services). We apologize for this inconvenience and thank you for supporting this important public health initiative.

Kids and teens, remember to log your reading hours by August 22 for chances to win Indigo gift cards in the Grand Prize and Super Reader Prize draws for our TD Summer Reading Challenge and Level Up Teen Challenge! You still have time to log hours and qualify as a Super Reader! Log those hours here.

Thank you to Literacy London for their generous support in making it possible for us to offer our online summer reading challenges through the Beanstack platform.

Now you can borrow a Park Pass from the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority with your Library card! These day use passes are valid for the current season and can be used at Fanshawe, Wildwood and Pittock Conservation Areas. Place a hold on a UTRCA Park Pass here. Don't let the length of the hold list stop you from placing your hold - park pass hold lists can move very quickly!

Discover all the items you can borrow with your Library card here. In most cases, these items need to be returned to the location from which they were borrowed and large items should be brought to the service desk, not returned through our chutes.

This program helps Teens in grades 9-12 who need to build a love of reading as well as gain confidence and conversational communication. They are matched with a post-secondary student who, through emails and video chats, aims to help their partner with communication skills by chatting and using literacy-based activities.

Interested in volunteering for this program? Learn more and sign up for a one hour online info session on August 18 or September 11 here.

Parents and teens interested in having mentor: Sign up for a one hour online info session for interested teens and a parent on August 25 here.

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Children in grades 1-8 who are struggling or reluctant readers can receive one-on-one help during the 2021-2022 school year in English or French. Weekly sessions will use email and video chat from September - May.

Interested in volunteering for this program? Learn more and sign up for a one hour online info session on August 17 here.

Parents interested in learning more about this program: Sign up for a one hour online info session on August 25 or September 13 here. You must attend an info session in order to register your child for this program.

August 17, 12–1pm

Is renting or buying better? Learn about the costs of buying and maintaining a home and what's needed to qualify for a mortgage. In partnership with the Credit Counselling Society. Register here

August 24, 5:30–7pm

Intersex London offers monthly peer support meetings online for members of the intersex/DSD community and their families. Register here

August 28, 2–4 pm

The Exchange is a multi-media sharing circle hosted by Plump! Join them in the Reading Garden at Central Library to talk about ideas and insights on this month's theme of humour in literature. Bring a book, poem, comic or even a Twitter thread to share. Register at www.weareplump.ca

Ongoing. Various dates & times.

Discuss books about Brazilian, Indigenous and Canadian culture and society. All are welcome.

The Women of Colour Network (WOCN) – London Region is a collective of racialized women who connect, support and uplift one another. We invite all who identify as racialized women (whether trans, cis, two-spirit, intersex as well as non-binary members of our community).

Books for Babies – Outdoors

Find a date and location that works for you!

Storytime! – Outdoors for 1+ years

Find a date and location that works for you!

Strawbees: Let’s Build – Outdoors for 5+ years

STEM Obstacle Course – Outdoors for 6+ years

Old School Skills – Outdoors for 8+ years

Learn how to read a map and use a compass for a scavenger hunt in the park!

Paint Night in the Forest City – Outdoors for 11+ years

Marker Tie-Dye – Outdoors for 8+ years

Join us and learn how to tie-dye and make fun designs with markers. Bring your own white t-shirt to work on.

Bean Bag Bingo – Outdoors for Families

Toss to win! Join the fun with bean bag toss and Bingo rolled into one.

DIY Birdhouse – Outdoors for 8+ years

Hip Hop 101 – on Zoom for 10–17 years

August 20, 2:30–3:30pm

Explore the origins of Hip Hop culture – DJing, poetry, graffiti and dance – as we learn the ABCs of breakin' (aka breakdance, the original hip hop dance) with Jim. Let's learn some moves and get down to some funky breaks! No experience needed.

Find dates and book titles.

7–9 years Register here

10–13 years Register here

14+ years Register here

Watch Facebook Live children's programs on our London Public Library for Families Facebook Group page. No registration is required. Just relax and tune in. Watch it live or on video later. See the listings below for what's coming up.

Live Storytimes for 1–5 year olds

Ongoing. Tuesdays, 10–10:30am

Ongoing. Fridays, 10–10:30am.

Ongoing. Thursdays, 10–10:20am

Join the challenge to read 1000 books to your child (0 to 4 years of age) before they start kindergarten. It's easier than you think! Visit 1000 Books Before Kindergarten to find out more, browse a list of 125 books selected by our librarians, and download activity sheets.

All Library locations except Glanworth are open for browsing and borrowing and for using a computer, printer, photocopier and WiFi. Computer use is limited to 2 hours maximum per day. Masks and distancing are required. No food or drink is allowed. Find full details and hours here.

Further information will be shared in coming weeks about fall hours of service at our locations. As changes to COVID-19 restrictions are confirmed by the Province and local health authorities, information about how this will affect Library service will be posted on our website and social media channels.

Send us your print requests for pick up at your neighbourhood library branch. Upload your files here. Let us pick books and DVDs for you and your family! Fill out our We Pick or Personal Picks forms here and we'll notify you when your request is available to pick up from the branch of your choice. Our Digital Library of ebooks, audiobooks, movies, newspapers, magazines, music, and learning and research platforms is always available.

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For information about donating to your Library: please visit our website.