The Greater Victoria Public Library needs to expand by 58 per cent in the next 15 years to keep up with anticipated growth and use of what is already one of the country's busiest systems.
Last year, a record 5,954,465 items were checked out of the region's 10 branches that provide a library service for a population of just over 300,000. Of that, 244,403 people have library cards.
The physical expansion, estimated to cost about $60 million, is just one of the fundamental changes facing the Greater Victoria Public Library, which serves 10 of the region's 13 municipalities.
[Clip]
At the same time, the system is embracing technology -electronic book circulation increased 162 per cent last year -and expanding programs to remain a relevant community resource.
Libraries are keeping up with the trends, not ignoring them.
"If you're not keeping up with formats, you're not really relevant for a lot of people," says library chief executive officer Maureen Sawa. "There will always be books for the foreseeable future, but we have to be sure we're providing the alternatives."
The principle behind libraries -that we all benefit from pooling resources -is still true today. But the format of those resources is changing. Almost one-third of the library's 5,954,465 circulation in 2010 were of items other than books or magazines -everything from DVDs to computer games to audio and electronic books. And those nonbook items are soaring in popularity. In 2010, 3,138 new patrons signed up for the Library To Go program, in which patrons can download audio and ebooks to their own electronic reader. That's an increase of 48 per cent from 2009.
Electronic book circulation has gone through the roof, increasing 162 per cent in 2010. The 27,783 copies of ebooks the GVPL has access to were circulated 10,107 times in 2010, up from 3,858 in 2009.
The FreePint Family is a family of resources to help information workers be more effective, raise the value of information in their organisations and contribute to success.
'FreePint... provides most of my professional development because it won't come through work and [other resources] just don't cut it.'
FUMSI Forum: Do you have a research question? Post it to the FUMSI Forum, where professionals share Q&A and useful tips on how to Find, Use, Manage and Share Information. It's free.
FreePint Shop:
