Provincial Library Grants Report 2014
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Introduction
The Nelson Public Library is located in the Central Kootenay and serves the City of Nelson, as well as three adjacent Regional District Areas, one of which does not pay for library service through taxation. The total population of this region is slightly over 18,000 and is comprised of a vibrant mix of people ranging from seniors and families, to youth and the marginalized. Nelson has a national and international reputation as a cultural artistic community supported by the Kootenay School of the Arts. We do get many tourists and many young transients visiting our community, and they are heavy users of the Library.
We do not have any major industry in our community and our economy relies on tourism, some provincial government offices, as well as resource industries, mainly logging and mining. More and more we are seeing an influx of people who work remotely from home. We serve a very diverse population with a variety of income and education levels. There are many highly educated people in Nelson and area, historians, retired academics, and professionals who expect a high level of service from their library. We also serve some of the rural areas where education levels are lower and poverty levels higher than the provincial average.
The biggest ongoing challenge that the NPL faces is providing service to the RDCK area that does not pay into the library tax base. This creates a significant barrier for many people who cannot afford the membership fee. It results in our not being able to provide full service to children during a class visit for example, as some of the children will not have a membership. There have been four referenda in the last 20 years but there is an active anti-tax group that has mobilized each time to prevent a positive outcome. Every week there are people who come into the Library to get a card and cannot afford the fee, and who are appalled that they cannot access free library service in BC.
Our Strategic Plan spans the years 2011-2015 and was reviewed and updated in 2013. Our three strategic priorities are:
1. Collections and core services: the Library’s collections and core services meet the diverse and evolving needs of our communities.
2. Community connections: The Library is a relevant, collaborative community resource essential to a strong healthy region.
3. Responsible management: The Library is responsive and accountable to our communities providing well managed, efficient services.
We track our progress on all action items and are confident with our progress on the plan. We have set up a system to identify goals and objectives for our programs and then evaluate how well we’ve achieved the stated outcomes through short exit surveys from participants. We will be updating the plan in 2015.
Government Priorities, goals, programs and services, partnerships
A focus on collaboration and cooperation between libraries and other partners.
Library Goals that supports the priorities:
1. To enrich service to communities by strengthening the Library’s network of partnerships at the local, regional, provincial and national levels.
2. To increase awareness of available library services and their relevance to current and future community well-being.
Programs and/or Services that connect to the priority:
1. We have staff participating in three community interagency committee groups in adult, teen and children’s areas. These forums ensure we better understand our community partners programs and services and they are aware of ours. We also set up a Community Outreach Desk where community groups can book a space in the Library to do displays and have their staff on-site to build awareness of their work in community.
2. We are a founding member of the Kootenay Library Federation which continues to see efficiencies in regional library service. We signed on to Kootenay Connect ILL service in 2014 which has resulted in significant increase in ILL volume. We are also a member of the BC Libraries Cooperative which is fundamental to our program offerings. We participate in Sitka, LibPress, consortium database buying, and a technology inventory in 2014. We also signed up for the National Network for Equitable Access to Library Service.
Key Partnerships that support the priority:
1. Kootenay Career Development Society, Kootenay Kids, Nelson Cares, Salvation Army, Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, Nelson District Youth Center, Touchstones Museum of Art and History, Selkirk College, School District #8, etc
2. Kootenay Library Federation, British Columbia Library Cooperative
Outcomes that were identified:
1. Community groups and agencies contact the Library to partner on the delivery of programs and services. There is increased interest in using our community outreach desk.
2. Our members report a high satisfaction rate with the integrations of the ILL system directly in Sitka. ILL volume increased by 50%, and customers are delighted by the quick turnaround. We’ve effectively expanded our collection without additional outlay of resources.
Focus on equitable access to Library services for all British Columbians
Library Goal that supports the priority:
1. Strengthen the role of librarians in addressing emerging community needs for library services.
2. Innovation in use of technology to enable access to library services.
Programs and/or Services that align with the priority:
1. The Library partnered with Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy and the local Rotary Clubs to build a program we call Books Everywhere! We have branded boxes in various locations around town, from restaurants and coffee shops to the Women’s Centre. The boxes are replenished weekly from donated children and adult books, with each box overseen by a designated senior. In 2014, we expanded the program to the local food banks and the soup kitchen where we go through about 30 books a week at each location. We partner with The Food Cupboard and Our Daily Bread in the delivery of this ‘outreach program’ for marginalized homeless people who cannot access a regular library membership.
2. We partner with several organizations to provide rural delivery service to residents in the Slocan Valley, some of whom are located up to 45 minutes from the Nelson Library.
a. We provide a monthly outreach service where a librarian and a small collection of materials is available at a local seniors centre. Partners on this project include the School District for delivery of the materials, the Passmore Seniors Lodge for providing the venue, and the Recreation Commission for assistance with promotion. Local community groups such as the Gardening Club or the Weavers’ Guild sometimes have an informational evening for people as well.
b. The local Heritage Credit Union is a drop-off and pickup spot for library materials. Members can place a hold online and pick it up in their own neighbourhood, as well as drop off materials at the book drop.
Partnerships that support the priority:
1. School District, Passmore Seniors Lodge, Slocan Valley Recreation Commission, Heritage Credit Union.
2. Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy, Nelson Food Cupboard, Our Daily Bread soup Kitchen.
Outcomes that were identified:
The results of the Slocan Valley survey indicated a strong desire for the outreach programs to continue. Rural members find these services to be very valuable. The move to a different venue has resulted in new member interest and increased attendance at the monthly outreach.
Books Everywhere outreach service is well utilized and all locations require weekly stocking. Staff at the various agencies report a deep appreciation on the part of their clients.
Accountability and transparency
Library Goal that supports the priority:
1. Be inclusive of, and accountable to the City of Nelson and RDCK Areas F and H.
2. Ensure governance and management practices support the Library’s goals and objectives.
3. Advocate for stable, long-term funding ensuring that available resources are allocated in a fiscally responsible manner.
Programs and/or Services that aligns with the priority:
1. The Library Board has completed a self-evaluation, participated in a Board Development retreat with two community partner Boards, set up a Trustee orientation process, and regularly invites community partner groups to do presentations at Board meetings.
2. The Board hosted a Candi-Dating forum for the local government elections. All candidates for council and mayor were in attendance and over 100 people attended to have short sessions with each candidate. The Board also prepared a two-page handout and mailed it to all candidates in both City and Regional District and invited them to come for a library tour.
3. We set up a system to identify desired outcomes and track them for all of our programs.
Partnerships that support the priority:
1. City Council
2. Regional District Central Kootenay
3. BCLTA – we followed their advocacy suggestions.
Outcomes that were identified:
1. The Board moved towards a more generative rather than mainly governance model.
2. We developed an Areas of Interest fundraising model to align with our strategic plan, and developed new promotional materials.
3. We attracted non-traditional users to the Library.
4. We built good-will and understanding with election candidates.
Summary
We are still in the process of implementing some of our Strategic Plan objectives but overall we feel confident of the success we’ve achieved in our community. We have been successful at creating a number of partnerships with community groups from the Social Service Interagency Committee, to the Preschool Service Providers advisory group, to the Social Planning Action Network to name a few. We have been approached to work with Selkirk College on their Learning Region initiative. We are viewed as a trusted and valuable team player in our community. The Library is seen as being in touch with and responsive to our community, as a collaborative team-player, and as a valued and trusted partner. We have achieved a good relationship with both The City of Nelson and the RDCK through our regular communications and mutual support.
Our greatest challenge continues to be trying to find resources for new initiatives and ideas while maintaining the trusted and respected programs and services people expect. We are one of the busiest libraries in our population category in the province while our collection and staffing levels are slightly below the average so we struggle to provide the services and programs we’d like to offer.
We will be updating our Strategic Plan in 2015 to ensure we continue to lead the way in meeting our community’s learning and recreational needs.
Outcome Based Evaluation results:
- People report learning something new at our adult programs, wanting to learn more, and meeting new people through our program evaluation surveys.
- Parents report reading more often at home since starting preschool story times. Suggestions for improvement of our children’s programs include “more interactive stories for boys would be good, but learning to sit and listen to books is probably what he needs more.” Staff report more dads in attendance at our new Science Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math for preschoolers.
- Children’s library staff set up daily programs for school-aged children over the School Spring Break. Attendance was very good as were comments and feedback from parents.
- Seniors report learning new things and feeling more connected to the community through participation in library programs
- People participating in our computer training programs report feeling more confident to use technology and being better able to connect to family and community.
Member Comments:
- A Library Love poem from one of our members:
Ilove the library in winter, when I have time to read more and study,
In the spring when Ineed garden books and how-to.
In the summer - novels on the beach and the boat,
and in fall, when the evenings are long and it's cozy inside...
- One mom told us about her 3 year old son and her 2 month old newborn. First of all she has been attending Mother Goose throughout the years as well as one of my Book Baby groups and is now enrolled in Storytime. Mom said she has been reading board books to her 3 year old since he was small. She had put the bb away and her 3 year old son went and got one and started reading the book word for word to the newborn. The older child can’t read yet but obviously familiar with the book. This little boy passing what his mother did for him to his new brother is one of the most heartwarming stories ever. She also mentioned that the Public Health nurse showed her how to utilize one of the board books out of one of our Library bags to elaborate on the story in her own language (English is her second language) which she did. Her son does not speak her language but one day again picked up the book and proceeded to so-call “read” the book in his mother’s language. Wow. Stories like this make it all worth it.
- I truly appreciate the great range of activities and creative connection to the community at Nelson Library.
- My computer was invaded by a virus recently. It turned out that it was much worse than anticipated. I would be without the use of my computer for five days. I was at a loss about what to do. My wife had a library card, and she suggested I go to the Nelson Public Library to use the computers there. My expectations weren’t high but I knew that a good 400 to 500 emails would rack up over the weekend if I didn’t. Dreading the prospect of reading all of them after my computer was repaired, I had no choice but to take my wife’s advice and go to the library. Once inside the library, I was surprised how busy that place was. The library was clean, warm and friendly. It had a great atmosphere. As I sat down, not a spot was empty at the other computers. The staff was wonderful, so willing to help me out. It’s nice to know that such expertise is available. I was able to access all my sites. It was obvious the library’s technology was good quality, modern and up-to-date. I came back three days in a row. I actually felt sorry each visit that my time in the library was only half an hour. I received an invaluable service at a point in time when I really needed it. ~ Nelson Rotary Club Member