Toronto Public Library reinstates circulation, hold services following ransomware attack

Several services will resume this week at the Toronto Public Library (TPL) following a major ransomware attack last October.

The library has restored its borrowing services, including the circulation of both existing items and new materials, as well as hold services, TPL said in a news release Monday.

"In the coming weeks, shelves at branches will look much fuller," Monday's statement said, with more than one million items said to be re-entering circulation.

The library says users will be notified by phone or email as early as Tuesday about holds that are now available for pickup.

Meanwhile, the library says access to the catalogue and customers' online accounts remain unavailable. Those services are expected to resume operation later this month. 

Canada's largest public library system was hit with a significant cybersecurity attack in October, disrupting all systems and technology across more than 100 branches. The library previously said the attack is believed to have exposed the names, social insurance numbers, government identification and addresses of employees dating back to 1998.

The library also said it had reinstated public computer workstations, equipped with Internet and Microsoft software to all 100 branches on Feb. 5.