Dylan Dyson CTV News Ottawa multi-skilled reporter

ARNPRIOR, ONT. - Arnprior residents lined up at the Arnprior Public Library in the rain on Thursday morning to make sure they have a vaccination certificate.

Last Thursday, the library began to provide free printing and lamination services for vaccine receipts provided by the Ministry of Health. The library staff said that the residents had turned their vaccination certificate into a pocket card in droves.

"We may be close to 400 people, and there may be more at the moment," Karen DeLuca, CEO of Arnprior Library, told Ottawa CTV News. "Only yesterday, we were close to 200 people."

DeLuca said that among the various people who come to the library to receive services, most of them are elderly people.

"For many elderly people who cannot use computers, printers or smartphones, we have become their center," DeLuca said. "We are community service; we are all together."

One of the local residents at the library on Thursday was Cheron Campbell.

"It's more convenient than carrying this (larger paper), and it can be used for a longer time," Campbell said, saying that she only has a mobile phone for emergency situations, not a smartphone. "I'm thinking more about how it works? I know I need it, so my daughter printed this for me, and now I want to laminate it."

"Well, I come from the old school, so I really don't know how to run the phone well," said Chris Marjorie, who also got his vaccination certificate. "In this way, if you write it on paper, it gets wet or 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, Put it on you, or put it in your back pocket."

The Ministry of Health said in a statement that even after the digital vaccine passport takes effect, Ontario residents can still use hard copies of their vaccine receipts to access certain non-essential businesses.

"After October 22, 2021, in addition to identification, customers can also present the paper or digital version of the PDF receipt or the paper or digital version of the enhanced vaccine certificate with a QR code to access the specified settings. "Wrote Alexandra Silken, the press secretary of the Minister of Health Christina Elliott.

Although the services provided by the library are free, the residents have been grateful for their help.

"People have been putting $5, $10, and $20 into the donation tank, and the money will be used for our next laminate order," DeLuca said. "We see it as a public service, so we will find funds from different budget items to make it work, because I think this is a very important thing."

The Arnprior Public Library is providing residents with proof of laminated vaccination receipts. (Dylan Dyson/CTV News Ottawa)

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