Council hears of Library's changing purpose and expanding service to community as part of presentation

Prince Rupert Council heard an update from the Prince Rupert Library
with Chief Librarian Joe Zelweitro taking the councillors on a virtual
tour of some of the development at the sixth Avenue West facility

Monday night was Presentation Night at the Prince Rupert City Council session, with Chief Librarian Joe Zelweitro and Board member Cary Dalton on hand to provide a fifteen minute overview of the changing nature of the city's public library.

Mr. Zelweitro provided for the presentation, outlining a thumbnail sketch of some of the recent development at the Prince Rupert Public Library. Among some of the themes covered, the changing nature of what the Library provides for the community and how things have changed over the course of the last twenty years. In their snapshot they noted he rattled off such notes as the stats picture of Library membership and Circulation to name a few.

The Chief Librarian also highlighted the range of fundraising options that they explore that could augment the City's financial contribution towards its operations.

 From their recent finding the Library made note of the growing expansion of services that it provides to the community, ranging access to computers, to assistance in job preparation applications, document scanning and copying,  Also on the list of services, providing examination proctoring and invigilation, as well as offering access to information to government licences such as fishing licences for sale.

On that, Mr. Zelweitro noted that the volume of inquiries  on fishing licences through the Library has increased since they began offering that service.

Community events that have been hosted at the Library also made for some focus for the night's review, the presentation also provided some thoughts on how they as community resource can work towards the goals of reconciliation in the Northwest.

When it came time for comments, the Library was praised for its commitment to community and for the important role that it plays in the region.

Councillor Nick Adey highlighted three areas which he had praise for the library on, the dedication of the staff and library board and what it offers to the community, how the diversity of service that they offer is much more complicated than it was twenty years ago and finally how the library provides for the opportunity for equity of access and levels the playing field for the community.

Councillor Randhawa asked if the library had more plans to take their message to the schools to encourage more engagement with the community, as part of their ongoing plans Mr. Zelweitro noted that they currently are working to expand on the digital archives of the old Daily News, as well as to work with community groups to encourage literacy and other programs.

Councillor Cunningham was also enthusiastic about what the library has to offer the community and made note of the diverse nature of those who make use of their services.

Much of the source material for the presentation was culled from the Library's Annual Report, we provided a look at that annual review earlier this month, you can dig a little deeper into the current items of note from the Sixth Ave West facility from out blog item here.

You can review the presentation from the City's Video Archive starting at the very beginning of the Monday night session.




For more items of interest from Monday's City Council session see Council Timeline feature, as well as our Council session archive.

A wider overview of items of note on Civic affairs can be explored from our Council Discussion archive.