Thunder Bay Public Library announced Thursday that they will close all locations "indefinitely" until the COVID-19 emergency order is lifted.

Though the provincial emergency order was extended until May 12, Thunder Bay's public library announced it will close all locations indefinitely due to COVID-19 health concerns. To accommodate the community during this time, a new collection of online activities and resources have been added.

Research databases, eBooks, eAudiobooks, home-management manuals, language guides and more are available to "help you stay productive and to serve your need for information and recreation," reads a press release from the library.

Some online database providers, like online genealogy site Ancestry LE and interactive Tumblebooks for kids, have extended resource access for members to use these programs from home.

Other programming is available through the library's Facebook page.

A core group of staff are currently working from home and will continue to "serve the community remotely and online."

Community members are able to reach out to the library via email to get an electronic service card for online resources. For existing members, expiry dates have been extended so that those who purchased a non-resident card will have the membership for the full time they paid for.

Anyone with outstanding items will not accrue late fees and should keep all items until further notice.

Any overdue notices should be disregarded and an item can still be placed on hold but will have to be picked up once libraries re-open.