Libraries Nova Scotia
2012 Annual Report
Steering committee:
The fifth year of Libraries Nova Scotia (LNS) was co-chaired by Jennifer Evans, Provincial Librarian, and by Robert Campbell, Novanet Chair for the first part of the year, and then Lynne Murphy, St Francis Xavier University Librarian and Novanet Chair from July 1st. Members of the Steering Committee include Tanja Harrison, Mount Saint Vincent University Librarian, Andrea Stewart, Director NSCC Libraries, Andrew Poplawski, Manager, Branch Operations, Halifax Public Libraries, Troy Myers, Chief Librarian, South Shore Public Libraries, Erin Comeau, Chief Librarian, Western Counties Regional Library, Lynn Somers, Client Services Manager, Dyan Perley Bader, Systems and Collections Access Manager and Rosalind Morrison, Research & Planning Librarian from Nova Scotia Provincial Library. Frances Newman, Chief Librarian of Annapolis Valley Regional Library and Beth Clinton, Chief Librarian of Cumberland Public Libraries, concluded their two year term mid-year. The Nova Scotia Provincial Library continues to provide secretariat support to Libraries Nova Scotia. The LNS steering committee met five times this year, sharing the October meeting with the Novanet board.
Borrow Anywhere, Return Anywhere (BARA):
BARA continues to please library users across the province, with many Nova Scotians appreciating the convenience and improved access to library resources. As of mid-year, over 45,000 items had been returned via BARA since April 2011, 65% of these items being books.
Two recommendations from the BARA pilot year report were fulfilled during this calendar year. One was to publish an article, based on information from the pilot report and the other was to review delivery methods within the BARA system.
In November, the Journal of Academic Librarianship published Communication, Collaboration and Cooperation: An Evaluation of Nova Scotia's Borrow Anywhere, Return Anywhere (BARA) Multi-type Library Initiative, authored by Denise Parrott, Technical Services Librarian, NSCC and Suzanne van den Hoogan, Emerging Services Librarian, St Francis Xavier University. The article provides an excellent overview of the early successes and challenges faced by the BARA project.
In October, a report summarizing physical delivery methods being used by LNS member libraries, written by the BARA monitoring committee and led by Ros Morrison, was circulated to the Steering Committee and made available on the LNS website: http://librariesns.ca/ . The report concluded the following: “This inventory has shown a few areas where efficiencies may be found, but in general the current system is working well and is not in need of adjustment”.
A new feature was added to the BARA network, the Halifax Seaport Farmers’ Market Book Drop. Early in the year, Lou Duggan, Librarian with Saint Mary’s University, brought a proposal to the LNS steering committee to establish a new return site at the market. There was considerable interest on the part of the Market management to participate in the library return network and an agreement was formed. A custom book deposit box was designed by Lou Duggan and Bill Slauenwhite of Novanet and built by Brodart Canada. The book drop was cost-shared between the Provincial Library and Novanet. In July, the market book drop was launched by the Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage, Leonard Preyra. In the ongoing interest of measuring value, an on-site survey about the market return site was conducted on a Saturday in early October. As of late November, 676 items had been returned at the market, making it the sixth most popular returns destination within the BARA network to date.
One Book Nova Scotia:
Inspired by the One Book movement and launched on September 21, 2012, the One Book Nova Scotia reading initiative was a seven-week campaign aimed at getting as many Nova Scotians as possible to read the same book and share the same story. Taking the idea of the neighbourhood book club and expanding it, the One Book program used public events and social media to encourage participation all across the province, helping communities build and nurture their own cultures of reading. Spearheaded by LNS, a special committee led by Frances Newman, with representatives from the Writers Federation of Nova Scotia and member libraries of LNS, One Book Nova Scotia program template was developed. The committee was successful in applying for and receiving funding for the program, successfully exceeding their target of $14,000.
The chosen title was Twenty-six, by Leo McKay Jr. 400 copies of the title were distributed to participating libraries. 80 people attended the September launch at Keshen Goodman Library, including Deputy Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage, Laura Lee Langley.
As the program’s feature author, Mr. McKay travelled the province to deliver 15 public reading engagements at libraries, universities and community colleges, giving One Book participants the chance to discuss the novel, share their thoughts and meet the author face-to-face. One of the highlights on Mr. McKay’s tour was the event held at the Nova Scotia Community College Pictou Campus. Hosted by the college and the Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library, the reading was attended by nearly 100 people, including family members and friends of Westray miners, as well as members of Stellarton’s municipal council.
In addition to the success of the public readings, circulation statistics indicate that print, e-book and audiobook versions of Twenty-Six were borrowed more than 1,100 times during the campaign and, at the end of the program, 300 people had signed up for waiting lists to get a copy. At bookstores, over 1,300 copies of the book had been purchased.
With the evaluation and success of the first Nova Scotia-wide reading program established, the One Book committee has begun plans for a 2013 program.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Evans & Lynne Murphy
Vision and Mission statement
Members List
Vision & Mission Statement
The Libraries Nova Scotia Initiative
Mission:
The mission of Libraries Nova Scotia is to contribute to the development of sustainable communities in Nova Scotia through providing all Nova Scotians with seamless, barrier-free access to the world’s information sources.
Vision:
· Libraries Nova Scotia (LNS) provides seamless, barrier-free access to creative, learning and recreational opportunities for all Nova Scotians.
· Across the province, LNS offers a suite of powerful services supported by a cooperative service-delivery infrastructure.
· LNS is well-used, valued and sustainably resourced. Member organizations are enthusiastic participants.
· LNS is recognised for its essential contribution to the educational, social, cultural and economic well-being of Nova Scotia.
Background:
Libraries Nova Scotia (formerly Nova Scotia Library) is a shared initiative led by the academic and public libraries in the province. LNS will result in benefits such as:
· province-wide access to a core suite of full-text digital journal and book collections
· the coordinated creation of digitized materials important to Nova Scotians
· shared electronic repositories to manage and preserve born-digital Nova Scotia content
· seamless linking to full-text content across libraries
· management of a province-wide authentication system and one-card service
· improved inter-library loan services
· coordinated information literacy programs
· expanded virtual reference services
Terms of Reference:
a. to create a province-wide multi-type library consortium based upon principles of barrier free access to member resources;
b. to initiate a province-wide information service infrastructure;
c. to facilitate and enhance the education, training and development of the stakeholders who deliver information and library services in Nova Scotia;
d. to advocate, as a single voice, on behalf of all Nova Scotians for the support and resources that will enable Nova Scotia libraries to meet the needs of their users;
e. to facilitate and enhance communication and coordination among members of the Library community in Nova Scotia, and between those sectors and the public;
f. to acquire, lease, own, develop, license, equip, maintain, or operate information technology, telecommunications technology or software independently of or in conjunction with any other party;
g. to support and subscribe to any charitable or public object and any institution or other undertaking which may further the objectives of LNS;
h. to enter into partnership, any arrangement for cooperation, joint venture, reciprocal concessions, or otherwise, with any person, Nova Scotia library or institution which will, directly or indirectly benefit NS libraries;
i. to contract with other persons for the provision of products and services to LNS, and from LNS;
j. to publish, distribute and deal in all media sources of every kind;
k. to engage in any activities or operations which can, in the opinion of the board of directors, be advantageously engaged in by LNS in connection with, or auxiliary to, any of the above mentioned objectives for the general business of LNS.
Nova Scotia Library 2012, Year 5 Members
Colleges and Universities
Acadia University
Atlantic School of Theology
Dalhousie University
Mount Saint Vincent University
Nova Scotia College of Art & Design
Nova Scotia Community College
Saint Mary's University
St. Francis Xavier University
Cape Breton University
University of King's College
Université Ste Anne
Public Libraries
Annapolis Valley Regional Library
Cape Breton Regional Library
Colchester-East Hants Regional Library
Cumberland Regional Library
Eastern Counties Regional Library
Halifax Public Libraries
Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library
South Shore Regional Library
Western Counties Regional Library
Other
Nova Scotia Archives & Records Management (observer status)
Nova Scotia Legislative Library
Nova Scotia Provincial Library
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