2015 Provincial Grants Report
Thompson-Nicola Regional District Library System
Contact Person: Marc Saunders
Email:
Introduction
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Library System (TNRDLS) is a regional library system and a department of the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. Incorporated in 1967, the TNRD functions as a partnership of its member municipalities and electoral areas. With a population of over 132,352 (2011 census), the TNRD includes 11 municipalities (Ashcroft, Barriere, Cache Creek, Chase, Clearwater, Clinton, Kamloops, Logan Lake, Lytton, Merritt and Sun Peaks) as well as 10 electoral areas within a geographic area of approximately 45,000 square kilometers.
The TNRDLS consists of a central administration centre with 13 physical branch locations and a bookmobile service. The branches are comprised as follows:
1.0 Large Branches
1.1 Kamloops Library (=Main Library)
1.2 North Kamloops (includes Outreach Services)
1.3 Merritt
2.0 Mid-Size Branches (26 to 30 hours per week)
2.1 Ashcroft Library
2.2 Barriere Library
2.3 Chase Library
2.4 Clearwater Library
2.5 Logan Lake Library
2.6 Bookmobile (serves 24 stops on a 3 week rotation)
3.0 Small “Gateway” Branches (16 hours per week)
3.1 Blue River Library
3.2 Cache Creek Library
3.3 Clinton Library
3.4 Lytton Library
3.5 Savona Library
Main Goals for 2015
The Thompson-Nicola Regional District Library System had a number of strategic objectives for 2015:
1. Conduct a workflow analysis
2. Develop a marketing plan
3. Increase awareness of the library through increased programming and partnerships
4. Strengthen the community through lifelong learning opportunities
5. Serve as the community commons to discover, connect and inspire
6. Bridge the digital divide in our community through staff expertise and technology
Grants Received
The TNRDLS received the following provincial grants:
Base operating grant $345,733
Resource sharing grant $2,862
Literacy equity grant $16,500
OneCard grant $24,000
Total $389,095
All grant funds were fully expended in 2015 for the purposes that they were intended. The TNRDLS supported the priorities articulated in the conveyance letter received from Libraries Branch to the best of its abilities.
Priority 1 – Equitable Access
The TNRDLS supported the provincial government’s priority of providing equitable access to library services. This was accomplished in a number of ways. First, there was a pressing need to provide wireless access at the Lytton Library and the Blue River Library. These were the last two of thirteen branches which did not have wireless access for patrons. The need for wireless access had been made clear through many patron requests wondering why they did not have the same access to the Internet as patrons at other branches. Both the Lytton and Blue River Libraries serve patrons in remote communities with limited connectivity. These patrons also tend to come from a lower socio-economic standing from those in other communities, and the ability to get free Internet access is an important contributor to their well-being.
Second, the library improved equitable access by improving bandwidth at a number of library branches. Bandwidth has not been good at a number of branches making it difficult for staff to conduct the business of checking material in and out while having patrons surf the Internet. The locations which experienced improvements include the Logan Lake Library, Merritt Library, North Kamloops Library and Clinton Library.
Third, equitable access was improved by increasing programming in a number of high demand areas. These programs include Mother Goose, outreach to daycares, and Tinytunes. The demographic served by these programs is mothers with young children, and many of these families represent those from less advantaged circumstances. Families with resources find it easier to attend these programs as they tend to be more organized and connected within the community. By providing more of these programs, the library has made it easier for the disadvantaged to participate. A real emphasis was placed on assessing the long-term sustainability of these programs with the goal of strengthening the community with lifelong learning opportunities.
Priority 2: Increased support for Education transformation
The TNRDLS supported education transformation by promoting personalized learning opportunities for students. This came in the form of school visits, participation in the SD 73 Teacher’s Symposium, and program offerings for school aged children. A great example of a new program offering was the “Anything Can Happen Friday” which promoted interactive learning through play. The Unplug and Play programs were also a big emphasis in concert with the messaging from our colleagues at SD 73. Outcomes related to improving awareness of library resources for teachers, parents and students. The goal was to remind the community of the supportive role the library plays with respect to literacy and learning in relation to the school district.
Priority 3: Support for the BC Jobs Plan by improving outcomes for job seekers
The TNRDLS provided additional programming in support of jobs and financial literacy in 2015. In the spring we conducted 2 finance oriented programs, and in the fall we conducted a series of 7 financial literacy programs. In addition, we had the author Ramona Materi do an author reading from her book about jobs in BC “British Columbia’s New North: How to Build Your Business, Respect Communities—and Prosper.” Outcomes related to improving economic development and financial health of the community. The objective was to help job seekers, and assist individuals in making financial decisions. This is a relatively new area for us, and we have had informal discussions with representatives from Community Futures, and a couple of job placement agencies as to how they could work with us to improve our reach into the community. The library goal that supports this priority is, “Strengthen the community with lifelong learning opportunities.”
Priority 4: A focus on collaboration between libraries and other partners
The TNRDLS was a part of many collaborations in 2015. One of our largest collaborations was with the Thompson Rivers University Library, the Kamloops Museum and Archives, and the Nicola Valley Museum and Archives. This collaboration was about setting up the Newshound newspaper Digitization Project. This project aims at digitizing all of the newspapers that have ever been published in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. 2015 saw the inclusion of the Merritt Herald and Merritt News into the project.
Another significant collaboration was with School District 73 and other community partners to run the Bright Red School Bus during the summer months, as well as pilot programming for the school year. This project has a recommissioned school bus visit various locations throughout Kamloops and give away books. The goal was to provide free books for children over the summer months when school is out to promote lifelong reading and to combat summer learning loss. The Bright Red Book Bus toured between seven different schools and some public parks over the summer. Children could visit at any location and choose two books to read and bring home each week. Children had the option of keeping any of the books they take from the Bright Red Book Bus. The TNRDLS supported this initiative by actively promoting the Bright Red Book Bus with our Summer Reading Club and encouraged children and their parents to take advantage of this program. We hope to expand our partnership with the Bright Red Book Bus to offer Summer Reading Club programming at the Bus locations as well as provide resources for children to receive weekly stickers and completion medals at all of the Bright Red Book Bus stops throughout the summer.
A sample of other collaborations that the library was involved in 2015 included:
· Heap the Honda Event to promote literacy
· Senior’s Healthy Living Expo
· School District 73 Teacher’s Symposium
· Seniors Symposium
· United Way Community Carnival
Summary
2015 was a big year for the TNRDLS. This was a year of intense public engagement through strategic planning, the implementation of a new ILS, the start of a workflow analysis, and participation in community events.