GVPL Report to Community 2018

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6,621,160

2,487,815 4,133,345

TOTAL INTERNET SESSIONS

BY PARTICIPANTS

90,919

27,589

3,436

59,894

NEW CARD HOLDERS CHILDREN’S CARDS

2,204 ADULT CARDS 15,376 TEEN CARDS

ITEMS BORROWED

416

MATERIAL REQUESTS FILLED page 2

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MESSAGE FROM THE BOARD CHAIR AND CEO It is with great pleasure that we reflect on Greater Victoria Public Library’s accomplishments for 2018.

The power of libraries to make a significant impact on people’s lives is unique. In 2018, we offered new ways to deliver on the Board’s strategic plan.

In addition to opening our twelfth branch, the sxweŋxwəŋ təŋəxw James Bay Branch, located behind the legislative building in the City of Victoria, we enhanced our collections and services. We expanded our French-language collection and created Indigenous Reads displays; we introduced a new partner, the Victoria Butterfly Gardens, through our culture and recreation pass program; and we offered educational programs in response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action.

GVPL staff set up pop-up libraries at community events around Greater Victoria to provide increased access as well as introduce new users to our digital collections and programs for all ages. Through partnerships, we significantly increased awareness. Of particular note in 2018 was our partnership with Serious Coffee, a coffee chain on Vancouver Island and in Powell River, to co-brand coffee sleeves and place the library’s message literally into the hands of more than 400,000 people.

How do we know our work has made a difference to people in our community? This year, a third-party research firm conducted a perception survey with a representative sample of adults in our service areas.

Participants responded to a series of questions regarding the perceived value of GVPL. The results? The majority strongly agreed or agreed that GVPL is important to lifelong learning, is inclusive, contributes to community wellbeing, and plays an important role in civic engagement. What is more, these positive perceptions of GVPL were found to be held whether respondents currently use the library or not.

Our thanks to GVPL’s employees and volunteers, Board of Trustees, funders, community partners and library users for your ongoing support. Your commitment makes it possible for us to continue to provide innovative and inspired library programs and services for our communities.

Rob Martin

Board Chair

Maureen Sawa CEO

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Create

great library spaces to meet unique user needs – in person and through our multiple e-service channels. sxweŋxwəŋ təŋəxw James Bay Branch Opens!

GVPL opened its twelfth branch, sxweŋxwəŋ təŋəxw James Bay in May of 2018. This highly anticipated new branch library in the City of Victoria has quickly surpassed all expectations as a community hub and showcase of local creativity.

The first branch in the GVPL system with an Indigenous name, the sxweŋxwəŋ təŋəxw James Bay Branch features two dedicated community meeting spaces: The Dr. Elmer Seniemten George M.S.M. Community Room, named in honour of the Songhees Elder and fluent speaker of Lekwungen who stewards the traditional teachings and culture of the Songhees Nation and the Mifflin Wistar Gibbs Study Room, named in honour of the James Bay resident and local merchant who served as a Victoria city councillor from 1866 to 1869, the first black person elected to a public office in British Columbia.

Goudy Branch Refresh The Goudy Branch in Langford was refreshed this year with expanded space for quiet study to meet the needs of the community.

Urban Learning Garden The first phase of an Urban Learning Garden opened in the courtyard of the Central Branch. An initiative of the Food Eco District (FED), in partnership with the LifeCycles Project Society, the Urban Learning Garden space will continue to grow into a centre for food education. The garden complements the Victoria Seed Library, a regionally adapted seed collection founded in partnership with GVPL, and is accessible to hobby and beginner gardeners.

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Engage

passionate library members, funders and partners to expand the library’s reach and impact.

Booksmack brings teams of library staff to the stage, fast and furiously reviewing as many books, films, and magazines as they can in time limited rounds.

In 2018, library staff performed Booksmacks on theatre and school stages throughout Greater Victoria to promote literacy and lifelong learning.

The new e-pass to Victoria Butterfly Gardens is the latest offering in GVPL’s culture and recreation partner program.

This app brings GVPL’s total number of pass program partners to seven.

Our French-language collection was given an extra boost of $15,000 thanks to a generous grant from the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada. GVPL matched the grant with an equal contribution. We officially launched the collection with 1,000 new titles at a French storytime event held at the Nellie McClung Branch.

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Inspire

discovery through programs, collections and services that enhance literacy and lifelong learning.

As an investment in early learning, GVPL’s librarians created a list of 100 exceptional picture books to entertain, educate and inspire little ones again and again. gvpl.ca/100books

We refreshed our list of 100 books to read before kindergarten (with many titles accessible in Braille and DAISY versions through the Centre for Equitable Access and the National Network for Equitable Library Service).

We provided professional development opportunities for teachers, and we hosted and participated in the highly successful Books for Breakfast/Literacy for Lunch events with our community partners. These programs were developed and implemented with funding from the Province of British Columbia through the Ministry of Education.

During the summer of 2018, more than 8,600 children, up to age 12, signed up for the BC Summer Reading Club program, which contributes to maintaining reading levels, expanding their scope of reading materials and increasing reading independence. More than 40% of GVPL’s Summer Reading Club participants reported completing the challenge of reading daily for seven weeks.

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Lead

with support for innovative ideas, service models and governance.

A new series of GVPL Change Your Mind library cards was launched this year, featured here with Premier John Horgan and B.C. Minister of Education Rob Fleming.

During 2018, phase two of our Change Your Mind campaign was launched. The campaign includes custom graphics featuring a friendly brain, in-branch signage, and a web and social media presence all designed by in-house staff. People were invited to take an online quiz that “diagnoses” mind types – Creative, Curious, Adventurous, Healthy or Hungry – and then receive a curated list of books and e-resources along with a link to get a new library card that matches their brain type.

More than 32,000 community members have completed the brain quiz.

For the latest component of the campaign, GVPL partnered with Island café chain Serious Coffee to distribute more than 400,000 co-branded beverage sleeves that delivered “Change Your Mind” messaging. The sleeves were available at all Serious Coffee locations on Vancouver Island and one in Powell River.

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Community Leaders

Board of Trustees 2018 Back row left to right: Bob Beckett, John Rogers, Matt Boyd, Rob Martin (Middle), Dean Murdock, Jeremy Loveday, Kevin Murdoch | Front row left to right: Beth Burton-Krahn, Karen Burns, Deborah Begoray, Kathy Santini, Maureen Sawa (Middle), Donna Curtis, Tzu-I Chung, Susan Laidlaw

2018 GREATER VICTORIA PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD, APPOINTEES BY MUNICIPALITY CENTRAL SAANICH Councillor Zeb King

OAK BAY Councillor Kevin Murdoch

COLWOOD Councillor Rob Martin

SAANICH Mr. Matt Boyd Ms. Donna Curtis Ms. Susan Laidlaw Ms. Joy Davis Councillor Dean Murdock

ESQUIMALT Councillor Beth Burton-Krahn HIGHLANDS Councillor Karen Burns LANGFORD Mr. Bob Beckett Councillor Matt Sahlstrom METCHOSIN Councillor Andy MacKinnon

VICTORIA Ms. Deborah Begoray Ms. Roberta Burris Ms. Tzu-I Chung Ms. Kathy Santini Councillor Jeremy Loveday VIEW ROYAL Councillor John Rogers

Roberta Burris, Jeremy Loveday and Donna Curtis participating in the BC Summer Reading Club Guest Program.

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Friends

A special thanks to the Friends of the Greater Victoria Public Library.

During 2018, funds from the Friends of the Greater Victoria Public Library supported the establishment of Indigenous Reads displays at all of our branches, created to highlight the Indigenous materials in our collection and make them visible and accessible. Friends’ funds also contributed to BC Summer Reading Club activities and our DigiLab programing for teens.

Indigenous Reads displays are in all GVPL branches.

Lego Club, part of the BC Summer Reading Club, supported by the Friends of the Library.

Financial Statements GVPL’s Statement of Financial Information for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2018, is available here: gvpl.ca/sofi2018

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Thank You

2018 DONORS GVPL is grateful to organizations, individuals and those who wish to remain anonymous who generously gave in 2018. Thanks to the community’s support, we expanded our collections, upgraded our spaces and provided engaging, free activities that continue to allow people of all ages to connect, discover and imagine.

Gordon B. Alexander James C. Anderson Jorge Aranda Kyle Armour Annette Barclay RenĂŠe Bauert BC Libraries Cooperative Robert Beckett Deborah Begoray Michael and Sirpa Bell Matthew Boyd British Columbia Library Association Karen E. Burns Roberta F. Burris CanadaHelps CAGP: Canadian Association of Gift Planners Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 410 CHIMP: Charitable Impact Foundation (Canada) Communications and Public Relations Foundation, BC Chapter Courthouse Libraries BC Donna Curtis Nicola T. Davidson Rita Dempsey Estate of Dr. Wilma E. Elias Elizabeth Buckley School Fairway Market First Church of Christ, Scientist Friends of the Greater Victoria Public Library Greater Victoria Down Syndrome Society Jerry J. Groneberg Thomas Hackney Pam Haere Karen Gail Harper Fred Heath Kelsey R. Henderson Brad Howland Donna Ingram IslandLink Library Federation Hannah Jackson Annie James Patrick Jezewski Shuen King Gerald Klassen Hugues Lambert Estate of David Neil Lee

Libraries and Archives Canada Roger A. Love Margaret and Lee MacKenzie Andy MacKinnon Alan L. MacLeod Elizabeth MacPherson Pamela Madoff Corinne Roberta Mah Joan Margaret Mickelson Evelyn Luise Millington Rance Yan Ki Mok Brian Munro Cheryl E. Osborn Patricia Emily Peever Susan R. Phillips Alyssa Polinsky Province of British Columbia Ministry of Attorney General Ministry of Education, Libraries Branch Provincial Employees Community Services Fund RBC Foundation Patricia Robertson Karel Roessingh Tanja Rosteck Kathy Santini Maureen Sawa Hilary Shelton Zia Shepherd Estate of Brian Strawbridge Andrei V. Svetlichnyi Times Colonist Literacy Society United Way of Greater Toronto United Way of Greater Victoria Victoria Foundation Andrea Webster David Wild Stephen and Jessica Woollard Myron Wu Robert A. Yuen

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GIFTS IN KIND Art Gallery of Greater Victoria The Bateman Foundation Belfry Theatre The Boulders Climbing Gym COBS Bread Costco Crag X Climbing Centre Craigdarroch Castle Flying Squirrel Greater Victoria Active Communities Mac’s Convenience Store Maritime Museum of British Columbia Old Dutch Foods Ooh La La Cupcakes Red Barn Market Pacific Opera Victoria Panago Pizza Royal British Columbia Museum Staples Canada Saanich Parks and Recreation Tally-Ho Carriage Tours Victoria Butterfly Gardens Western Speedway

GIFTS TO HONOUR OTHERS Saulo Davis from Jane Davis Ric Janowicz from David McIntyre David Jones from Daphne Wood, Jessica Woollard and Jeannette Allan Edward Knight from Brian Knight Sharon Morphett from Diane Cliffe Isabelle (Mickie) Nickle née Harrison from Roberta F. Burris Robert and Onerva Grant from Lyle K. Grant Joyce Smith from Joy A. Davis Joan Warren from Sue Paisley

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Greater Victoria Public Library 735 Broughton St Victoria, BC, V8W 3H2 250-940-4875 gvpl.ca

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