What Can You Do At The Burlington Public Library?

Burlington Public Library is offering a variety of ways to make good use of your library card. Here’s a look at what you can do from home.

Burlington Public Library is So Much More Than Books

Think outside the books! Burlington Library also offers DVD rentals available for pick-up right now. Explore their catalogue here, and plan a family movie night! In fact, Burlington Library’s website is a wealth of activities and information about the community (not unlike this one!). Here are some of our favourites…

Summer Reading Club

Burlington Public Library invites you to join their virtual Summer Reading Club. Read what you want, how you want, and when you want! Check-in online every week on our website, and you’ll find recommended books, resources and activity suggestions for every age group – from birth to adults. It’s free, it’s fun, it’s easy! Every week the library staff publishes a new list of books, resources and activities for your family to check out: books, ebooks, manuals, and even video games!

Registration opens on June 28th and kids will love keeping up with their reading all summer. Check out the weekly lists for your next great read or fun activity, or attend a virtual program. Visiting the library in person this summer? Keep an eye out for fun stickers, fortune tellers and more recommended reads!

June is Pride Month

The Library is an excellent resource for the entire city to learn about and support the 2SLGBTQ+ rights movement and community. From books to live author talks, to supportive resources, you will find a ton of resources at your local library and online. Find reading lists for every age group here.

TumbleBooks

storytime is all of the time with TumbleBooks. You can choose from hundreds of books, at every level and for any topic you can think of. Dozens of National Graphic videos covering everything from Antarctica or Water Purification are all free to watch. Let your kiddos learn about anything they want to! Storybooks for the read-to-me crowd and ebooks and graphic novels for the chapter-book lover at your house. French and Spanish books, too. You don’t need a separate e-reader and you don’t need to download apps or load anything on your devices. TumbleBooks is ready to go on your phone, your iPads and tablets, and on your computer and laptops, and it’s free!

Kanopy and Kanopy Kids

Adults can enjoy critically-acclaimed movies, inspiring documentaries, award-winning foreign films and more, while kids get access to hundreds of movies and programs free! All because you have a library card. Mind. Blown. Click here and start watching movies like The Big Short (I loved it) and stories like Don’t Let The Pidgeon Drive The Bus read aloud here.

You can register for a library card online.

BPL on YouTube – Learn Online

The BPL has a large collection of videos, tours and tutorials on their YouTube channel. Kids can listen to librarians read storytime selections and watch puppet shows, your little artist can learn to draw and paint, and adults will love taking a tour of some of the city’s most popular destinations. Watch here.

Tips For Burlington Library Patrons

Did you return a book, but your account still shows it checked out? That could be because of the 72-hour book quarantine noted below, but don’t worry, no late fines will be charged. In fact, in order to allow for a barrier-free library experience, the Burlington Public Library has cancelled fees going forward. Borrow, read, and return without the stress of late fees.

Safety Measures at Burlington Public Library

When your books and DVDs are returned, they’re held for 72 hours before they’re lent out again. Health Canada recommends 24 hours, but BPL is doing a little more to ensure safety for their customers. Masks are mandatory for all in-person branch visits and for pickups. Forgot your mask? You will be provided with a disposable mask for your visit.

Need a Burlington Public Library card? You can register for a library card online here.