Despite closing its doors to the public, Jesmond Library is now offering a free click/call and collect service for its members, who can collect and return Jesmond library books on Saturdays, Tuesday, Thursdays from 3pm-4pm from the porch of the library building.

The library is home to more than 8,000 books with most available online in the library catalogue, and members can borrow up to three books at a time.

Chris Clarke, from Friends of Jesmond Library, explained to JesmondLocal that once the books are returned “they get quarantined for at least two days or more, before they are available to be leant to anyone else.

“The advice we’ve had from the government is that after two days any virus will have died anyway.”

A study in The Lancet journal found that no infectious virus could be recovered from printing and tissue papers after a three-hour incubation, and no infectious virus could be detected from treated wood and cloth on the second day.

The click-and-collect service is run by volunteers, who also provide a home delivery for customers unable to get to the library.

For more information, email enquiries@jesmondlibrary.org or call 0191 281 2385.