Cariboo Regional District Library
2012 Provincial Library Grants Report
2012 Goals & Objectives
The Library’s Business Plan outlines proposed goals for the current five year period and
partners the Library’s five-year Financial Plan (Budget). As Business Plan goals do not
encompass all library activities, this report also addresses related priorities.
The Library’s goals as outlined in the Business Plan address the following areas:
1) Community Library buildings / facilities.
CRDL ‘s twelve small rural libraries, referred to as “Community Libraries”, may be
housed on their own in modular units, or placed in community halls or schools.
Placement in schools can benefit both parties, as our libraries gain opportunities to
broaden their community of users, participate in or share programmes with the schools
and community school groups, and provide additional services to students (after school
hours). They also gain better facilities that are maintained by the schools and that are
more secure than a standalone modular facility. Of course the level of security available
to our work-alone library employees is a priority for the Library and relocation to shared
facilities is generally a preferred option. Schools can benefit from this arrangement as
additional use of school facilities by the community may help keep the buildings open
(and hopefully the schools as well) and enhance the school’s role as community
facilitator.
The Library currently has three older community library facilities which require on-site
renovations or replacement, or relocation. Two of these facilities have been identified
in the Library’s business plan and were carried forward to the Library’s 2012, and now
2013 plans. Relocation of a community library usually involves consultation and
consensus; present library plans could change in consideration of local needs and
preferences. If what we perceive as a best position for a library is not perceived as a
benefit by the local community, then we must revise or delay our plans.
2) Survey of public use of Community Library facilities and services.
Last spring (2012) we conducted an online survey on community use of our small rural
libraries. Questions covered proximity of home to library, convenience of library in
terms of location and hours of operation, preferred days / hours of operation, preferred
services, level of satisfaction with the library’s collections, awareness and use of the
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library’s electronic databases, home access to the Library’s web catalogue and website,
awareness of e-book services, and additional services / resources patrons would like the
library to offer.
Results of the survey were presented to the Community Librarians at a meeting held in
the fall of 2012. Some of the general findings from the 225 completed surveys included:
 Over 50% of respondents live within their immediate rural community
 Most respondents approved of the location of their libraries
 Frequent and repeated requests for additional hours / days, with suggestions for
evening and weekend openings (for working people and families)
 Preferred services / uses of library included borrowing materials, including
placing holds on items from other Cariboo libraries; using the public internet
computers; wireless internet access.
 Few rural people were using the Library’s web databases or even aware they
were available
 Lots of feedback respecting the local collections, with two groups of requests /
comments: 1) More materials in general - Magazines, dvds, bookcds, books,
with a few suggestions for a greater changeover of titles on the shelves and a
better selection of materials, especially in the nonfiction area . 2) Those who felt
the library’s collection was fine given available space and if the items / books
weren’t available locally they could be requested.
 Many of the respondents reported that given an ‘excruciatingly’ slow dial-up
access at home, loading the library’s website “takes forever” and therefore it
was impossible for them to use web resources and the catalogue. They visit
their local library when they need to access the internet.
 Preferred additional services, in addition to remarks on library hours and
collections, included: computer training and meeting space, film nights, more
support for reading clubs / groups, programs featuring speakers, musicians,
storytellers and authors.
 A sizable group felt that no additional services were required and were satisfied
with services offered.
 Lots of positive feedback from respondents on their local libraries, e.g. “precious
and valuable resource”; “Internet and wireless connectivity at the library is
essential for locals without Internet access….”; “think very highly of our small
library…..”
3) Development of new programs and services in Area Library Branches.
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Williams Lake Library Branch - Proposed initiatives for 2012 focused on attracting youth
/ teens and involving them as volunteer ‘teen advisors’ who might help plan and
participate in programmes, such as youth drop-ins, selection committees for young
adult and juvenile materials and a proposed reading groups.
100 Mile House Branch - Expansion of specific Area Branch Outreach Services included
visits in the fall to local schools to update students on library services and to encourage
them to visit the library and expanded lending services for patrons unable to visit to
library and to seniors at assisted living facilities.
Williams Lake Library Branch -Shared weekly Activity / Reading Program Children’s
program
In order to provide opportunities for the small number of families with newborn
children, inclusive programs were offered, intended for children from 0 to 5 years. The
programs offered, in addition to stories and activities for toddlers and pre-schoolers,
baby-friendly toys, space and stories.
Database subscriptions / licenses
In 2012 we renewed all current database licenses and offered two new titles to our
patrons. We tend to prefer self-help databases with a practical application, which offer
recreational / learning opportunities and support family interests. While we do not yet
have usage statistics for all of our databases, it is easy to recognize the use and appeal
of many of the databases, some of these being: Overdrive’s ebooks and e-audiobooks,
Tumblebooks, Consumer Reports with Cars Best Deals Plus, Auto Repair Reference,
National Geographic, Hobbies and Crafts, and Ancestry Library Edition. The latter is inlibrary use only, is a bit of a drawback, but it also attracts people to the library.
In 2012, in addition to some general orientation sessions to the library’s website, our
Area Branches provided small group orientation sessions and individual assistance on
the Overdrive and Ancestry databases. The Ancestry Library Edition database has
generated a lot of interest among a growing segment of the population wanting to
research their family trees. Strong local interest in this database has led to partnerships
between local amateur genealogists and library staffs, who have worked together to
provide small group training sessions. Those library staffs with more familiarity of the
library’s databases generally took the opportunity to promote and show databases that
will be of use to patrons, e.g. foster parent of two young children who speak little
English and whose mother languages are French and Spanish is introduced to
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Tumblebooks, which offers children/s books in other languages (language learning) and
shared reading opportunities (read alongs).
4) Community Library Hours of Operation
In 2012 the minimum hours of operation for Community Library Branches increased to 8
hours a week, with a current maximum for all Branches at 12 hours a week.
Adjustments to their hours of operation have been slow and gradual, and must be
justified both by local use patterns and requests from the local community.
5) Library Materials budget
The Library’s 2012 materials budget was increased by 5%. The budget includes all print,
audio and video materials ordered for the fifteen branch libraries. It does not include
the Library’s database license subscriptions, which are a separate budget which has
been increasing at the rate 10 to 15% a year.
2012 Priorities in addition to Business Plan goals relate to the following areas:
1) Use of library facilities by general public and local groups.
The Cariboo is the largest geographic region in south-central British Columbia and
relative to its size, serves a small population. The fact that the rural (non-municipal)
population is spread over significant distances underscores the need for a tangible
library presence in rural communities. The library as part of the local resource network
and as an accessible welcoming space is as important to small rural communities as the
resources and services offered within.
2) Partnerships with organizations and community groups / agencies
In 2012 the Library partnered with the following organizations and groups:
- National Film Board (public screenings approved by the NFB at the three Area
Branches)
- Genealogy Club (100 Mile House) – Members schedule visits to the library to assist
patrons using the library’s genealogical resources, such as Ancestry Library Edition
- Family History Centre (Williams Lake) – Partners with library to provide small group
training sessions on genealogical research and use of library’s resources
- Boys and Girls Club (Williams Lake) – partners with library in planning youth
programmes
- Community Books Clubs – use of library facilities and collections (several branches)
- Ready, Set, Learn Events held every year in the school; also provide bags and books
for babies (Books for Babies) through the Public Health Unit (100 Mile House)
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Developing partnerships with the Child Care Resource & Referral and the Cariboo
Family Enrichment Centre (Williams Lake and 100 Mile House)
Participation in Cariboo Partners for Literacy meetings and subcommittees; Libraries
provide space for PAL training sessions (for new tutors) and for tutoring sessions
Shared literacy activities with the Quesnel Literacy Society
Friends of the Quesnel Library - Use the library’s programme room on a weekly
basis for meetings and scheduled events that they host
Sugarcane Reserve’s child care centre – will drop in for a children’s reading program;
Williams Lake Branch has visited Sugarcane to provide / participate in children’s
programs
Use of the Friendship Centre’s Longhouse for Williams Lake Branch NFB films and
other agency events in partnership with library (e.g. Williams Lake Film Club)
Funding received from Success-By-Six used for the purchase of Aboriginal children’s
materials (Williams Lake)
Participation (library booths) at harvest / fall fairs, Farmer’s Saturday Market, Family
Fest and National Aboriginal Day (several library branches)
Volunteer presentations and programmes – Includes local authors, Armchair Travel
groups, free Elder College courses (Area branchesand one Community Branch)
Teen volunteers helping out at special storytime programmes featuring puppet
shows and crafts; teen volunteers supervise Wii games at the library; Teen Advisory
Council involved with our Williams Lake Branch
3) Membership in North Central Library Federation
This regional partnership has helped to organize and facilitate interaction with our
library neighbours to the north. Membership in NCLF has afforded us opportunities to
meet in order to identify and plan shared priorities and projects which add depth to our
respective services.
A major benefit from our perspective is the ability to offer additional programmes
managed by and funded through NCLF. 2012 included children’s performers (magician
and puppeteers); previous years have also included author readings. We also enjoyed
“federation-coordinated” programmes and purchases, including the Books for Babies
programme (2011) and supplies (barcodes and interlibrary loan bags in 2012). While
provincial funding sustains opportunities identified and offered by NCLF and sister
federations, it is also a blessing in terms the staff time saved through our reliance on
NCLF.
4) Continuing participation in Sitka/Evergreen
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Our experience with Sitka has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride, as the Sitka ILS
continues to evolve / transition alongside its parent Evergreen. We continue to view
our participation as a long term investment in which we have both the opportunity and
the responsibility to contribute to Sitka’s potential to meet our requirements of an ILS;
hopefully requirements that are of use to other members as well. We have not yet
achieved the consortium perspective, especially when it comes to accepting the ease
with which necessary / correctly applied information in marc records can be deleted or
changed, thereby affecting public catalogue records in a negative way.
From our perspective, benefits that come with membership in the Sitka consortium
include significantly low annual ILS fees; the responsiveness and willingness of the Sitka
team in working with us in developing reports and resolving procedural issues and hangups; access to “good records” within the Sitka database and the easy ability to import
Z39 source records, which we did not have with our previous ILS; the minimal
requirement for the creation of original records, with respect to monographs and visual
media; the inclusion of e-records and graphics in the catalogue, the report capability of
the software and the report templates the Sitka team creates for member use and
benefit; the ongoing commitment from the province to support library investment in
the Sitka ILS at local, regional and provincial levels.
2012 Goals - Outcomes
While the Library achieved many of its identified goals for 2012, a few goals carried over to
2013, including the proposed building projects for Nazko and McLeese Lake Community
Libraries. We have yet to reach decisions respecting whether to change their respective
locations and further community consensus may be required for both of these projects.
The results of the Small Rural Libraries Survey were reviewed with the Community Librarians at
their meeting held in September 2012. In response to community interest in local collection
updating and enrichment, proposals were discussed for facilitating selection and developing
new rotating collections of high-interest materials. To this end, the Library proposed to
establish and facilitate sub-regional library committees that would meet on an annual or semiannual basis for a variety of purposes, including:
 Coordinate selections of for the development of rotating collections, with the initial
focus being DVDs, Book CDs and large print materials. For people who cannot afford or
prefer not to subscribe to satellite television, community library DVD offerings can be a
godsend.
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Possibly establish collection management days for shared weeding projects and
exchange of materials
Possibly establish dedicated computer stations at the Community Libraries to facilitate
patron downloads to their e-reader devices (these are available in the Area Branches)
Centre Community Librarian training in each of the four sub-regions. This would
facilitate travel for those employees at some distance from Williams Lake (the usual
gathering centre), encourage regular participation and allow for focused small group
and one-on-one training. Further training of our rural community librarians could give
them the added confidence and initiative they need so they can share their learning
with patrons, especially with regard to the library’s web-based resources / e-media
opportunities.
In this e-era, much of what is currently available in print is soon available as e-media or is even
supplanted by e-media (with sites such as Amazon offering the e-book editions which download
to their readers). While we are likely to continue to favour print versions of most titles, with
most reference items being the exception, we anticipate an eventual cascade of e-media as
they become a preferred choice for readers. Sustained, growing investment in e-media is
essential. While we assume the transition to e-media will lead to a gradual diminishment of
print collections, it is our hope that we can continue to offer print media to a broad readership
for some time to come.
Our online databases have become our primary reference resources. Our print reference
collections are almost static, with the exception of popular continuations. Our annual budget
for database licenses now well exceeds what we used to spend on print reference materials. In
general these are amazing resources, most of which offer remote access and which deserve
more use by Cariboo patrons. While there is no doubting that usage will pick up, we would like
to hurry it along. So in conjunction with the continuing growth of our database collections, we
need to enhance public awareness of the information and learning opportunities the databases
offer and ensure that all staffs have the confidence to use and demonstrate our e-resources to
their local patrons.
Unlike the databases, to which most patrons require an introduction, our e-book service is soon
discovered by owners of e-readers or tablets. Our Area Branches now regularly teach patrons
how to establish their accounts, download the appropriate software and navigate the Overdrive
database. While our Community Librarians have received an orientation to the Overdrive
database, we plan to facilitate rural library ability to assist patrons with accessing and
downloading e-media through our Sitka catalogue and Overdrive.
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The distance involved in delivering library services to small communities in remote rural areas
of our region presents a special challenge. Bookmobile service is not an affordable option given
our low population density and communities that are far apart. By themselves, reading centres
provide an ineffectual level of service that is passive, static and underused. By itself, a standalone library kiosk that provides online access to the library’s website, catalogue and eresources would be a lonely offering in a remote rural area. Affordable, fast Internet access in
all rural areas of the Cariboo that supports remote (home) access to our services is a long held
hope. Show-casing our web-based services within a library / shared facility that offers services
to locals, summer residents, tree-planters, logging camps and mill and mining operations in the
area, and which provides space for shared programmes, community meetings and computer
training continues to be our vision of ideal library service in remote rural areas.
We serve diminishing populations, one causal factor being a move by young people / families to
alternate locales for employment and training opportunities. Transient workers (mining
operations) whose homes remain outside the Cariboo underscore the fact that training
opportunities for specialized work are not sufficiently available in the Cariboo; people have to
move to obtain the skills and training they need.
First Nations Communities provide needed balance to our region’s population, given their
higher birth rate and high proportion of younger adults. While there is a trend to selfsufficiency in terms of internet access, in the Williams Lake region, many First Nations residents
rely on the Library’s computer services. For the local First Nations, the Williams Lake Branch
also represents a meeting space. Youth and children occasionally participate in the reading
programmes and afternoon Wii games offered by the Branch. Adults occasionally attend the
Library’s evening programmes, including National Film Board screenings of First Nations
interest.
Services to the Cariboo’s First Nations population will be included in the Library’s proposed
strategic plan, which is suggested for 2014. The strategic plan would integrate the library’s
vision and plans for all aspects of its operations and would provide the context and direction for
the achievement of library initiatives and services. It will consider the various populations we
serve, our growing partnerships with other agencies and groups for the shared provision of
programmes, services and information, and continuing support for staff learning and training
opportunities.
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