MORE libraries across County Durham have been added to the social distanced ‘click and collect’ scheme.

Libraries across the country were forced to close in March in response to Government guidance on preventing the spread of coronavirus. Since Monday July 6 library users in County Durham have been able to access nine pick and collect sites across the county to select and return books.

Since launching pick and collect over 1100 people have used the service, with over 3000 books being borrowed.

Now the service has expanded to included ten more sites across the County.

The ten sites are Bishop Auckland Town Hall, Clayport, Easington, Newton Hall, Sedgefield, Shildon, Spennymoor, Stanley, Thornley and Wolsingham.

Members of the public will be able to order up to three titles online or over the phone.

They will then be offered a choice of timeslots to collect their chosen books from one of the participating libraries.

These additional sites have been chosen as they are busy libraries, which also offer sufficient space to provide the essential elements of the pick and collect service.

This includes room for visitors to queue safely and for a quarantine area to be created for returned books.

The chosen sites also offer a good geographical spread of locations around the county.

Appointment times will differ at each library and may not be in line with each library’s former opening hours.

However, the team from Durham County Council is working to provide the public with access to books.