Libraries pause interlibrary loan service due to Canada Post strike

Those who visit their local library looking to order a book that is not in stock will be out of luck.

The Canada Post strike has forced libraries across the country to suspend the interlibrary loan service that is used to share materials between locations. This includes books, audiobooks, compact discs and microfilms from the Archives of Ontario. It also means that books borrowed from other libraries cannot be returned.

Notices have been posted on several library sites, including for the Kitchener Public Library, the Waterloo Public Library, Guelph Public Library (GPL) and more.

Amy Lychwa oversees the interlibrary loan program at GPL and said those impacted most are patrons with various impairments, like blindness, who may access Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) material including discs.

“Those materials come through Canada Post as well, so our visiting library services are also unable to secure materials for people with visual impairments,” she said. “That is, in some ways, an even bigger impact than the interlibrary loans because many people rely on those CELA discs for their literature and information.”

Before local libraries used delivery drivers from the Southern Ontario Library Service to deliver books across branches, but it was shut down due to a lack of funding. Since then, it has relied on Canada Post and gets a discounted postage fee for the service.

Meg Forestell, the supervisor of community engagement at GPL, said the staff are still committed to serving the community despite the strike.

“While there are services we cannot provide right now, we are here in so many other ways,” said Forestell.

Currently, there are over 200 books sitting in limbo waiting to be returned at GPL, while they are also waiting on 500-600 books to be returned to their collection.