Toronto Public Library website partially restored but personal accounts still down

Service has been partially restored on the Toronto Public Library’s website following a cyberattack that crippled the library’s systems for months.

In a tweet, the library confirmed that some sections of the website, including eResources, programs, and branch information, can now be accessed.

Other key parts of the website, including user accounts, the library catalogue, and the site’s search function, are still down, the library said.

Those features are expected to be restored later this month.

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“Restoring systems and services across 100 library branches is a complex undertaking,” the library said in a post on its website. “We’re working to ensure full restoration as soon as possible.”

Last week, the library confirmed that services are expected to return throughout the month of February following the Oct. 23 cyberattack, which led to the personal information of employees, including social insurance numbers and copies of government-issued identification, being stolen.

Toronto Public Library (TPL) users have not been able to place holds on books, access their accounts, or use computers on site since the incident three months ago.

While checking out books is still possible, the library is not able to check books back into the library system. As a result, about a dozen offsite trailers have been used to temporarily store returned books until they are able to process the items electronically. A spreadsheet, TPL confirmed, is being used to enter details of the new registrations and check-outs.

“We are just as eager as you are for things to get back to normal. Full recovery is a gradual process, and the end is in sight,” TPL said in a social media post. “Thanks so much for sticking with us.”