Hundreds get COVID-19 vaccine receipt printed, laminated at Arnprior library

ARNPRIOR, ONT. -

Arnprior residents lined up in the rain Thursday morning at the Arnprior Public Library to ensure they had their proof of vaccination.

Last Thursday, the library started offering free printing and lamination of vaccine receipts from the Ministry of Health. Library workers say residents have been turning out in droves to have their proof of vaccination turned into a pocket-sized card.

"We're probably close to 400, probably more than that at this point," Karen DeLuca, the CEO of the Arnprior Library tells CTV News Ottawa. "Yesterday alone we were close to 200."

DeLuca says that of the variety of people coming to the library for the service, a majority of them are seniors.

"We've become kind of central for a lot of seniors who don't have access to a computer, or printer, or smartphones," says DeLuca. "We're a community service; we're all in this together."

One of those local residents at the library Thursday is Cheron Campbell.

"It's more convenient than carrying this (larger paper), and it will last longer," says Campbell, who says she only has a cellphone for emergencies, which isn't a smartphone. "I was more thinking of how does this work? And I knew I needed it, so my daughter printed this off for me and now I'm going to get it laminated."

"Well I'm from old school so I don't really know how to run a phone that well," says Chris Majaury, who also turned out to get his proof of vaccination. "This way if you have it on paper and it gets wet or something you can't really read it. A card you can put in your wallet or you can put it in the glove box of your car, keep it on you, or keep it in your back pocket."

In a statement, the Ministry of Health says Ontario residents will be able to use hard copies of their vaccine receipts to access certain non-essential businesses, even after the digital vaccine passport comes into effect.

"After October 22, 2021, in addition to proof of identity, a patron may present a paper or digital version of the PDF receipt or a paper or digital version of the enhanced vaccine certificate with QR code to gain access to designated settings," wrote Alexandra Hilkene, Press Secretary to Health Minister Christine Elliott.

Although the service offered at the library is free of charge, residents have been showing their appreciation for the help.

"People have been throwing in $5, $10, $20 to the donation jar, and that will go to our next order for laminate," says DeLuca. "We see this as a public service, so we'll find the money from different budget lines to make it work, because I think it's a very important thing."