Annual Report 2017

2017 Annual Report

Customers told us why they

YOU LOVE YOUR LIBRARY!

Whether you love Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) for our cutting-edge technology and free Wi-Fi, OR our extensive collection of over 500,000 items with materials in more than 16 languages, OR just the comfy furniture at our nine locations, you’re not alone! Thousands of you have chosen Vaughan Public Libraries to Enrich Inspire and Transform your life!

#loveVPL and its Canada 150 year-long celebration

“After enjoying storytime, we get an opportunity to choose and practice returning books.”

“The children get to play creatively and take home books to enjoy for weeks.”

You delighted in dozens of special events and activities throughout 2017 as we celebrated Canada’s birthday including the launch of VPL’s first eBook and compilation of local writers’ works, Voices of Vaughan: a Canada150 Anthology. Visits by Canadian authors, the creation of a VPL Colouring Book and Vaughan Public Libraries’ Adventure Challenge were enjoyed throughout the year. Three Vaughan Loves Reading events were held for kids, teens and adults, ending with a stellar reading by bestselling and award-winning author, Heather O’Neill.

“How accommodating and understanding the staff are for a service dog user.”

More people are visiting the library than ever before!

customers visited

3,193,819 items borrowed

114,962 people attended 4,800 programs

1,311,722

#loveVPL’s programs and events

2,813,614

VPL

visits to VPL’s website

A rich variety of programming at our nine locations thrilled you all year-long including technology seminars, book clubs, family movies and so much more.

Thousands of you attended the 2017 favourites – Touch a Truck, Anne Frank: A History for Today, Vaughan Fan Con, Bad Art Night and Pokémon League.

Interactive storytimes, Sensory Storytime and STEAM Storytime, were introduced and our assortment of French programming and events were expanded with the Kids’ French Book Club and French Movies. Très magnifique! Staff enjoyed being a part of 78 community events, including Concerts in the Park, Santafest and the Muslim Festival of Vaughan.

vaughanpl.info

581,002 questions answered by staff

15,567 new customers joined VPL

“We love the library for their lovely collection of kids’ books.”

“The librarians always recommend perfect books and there’s lots of cool spaces to read.”

118,138

#loveVPL’s services

digital materials

To enhance your customer experience we updated our website, offering an easily-searchable online catalogue and program registration on Eventbrite. Bathurst Clark, Civic Centre and Pierre Berton Resource Libraries changed their opening hours to 9 a.m. seven days a week and added study hall hours for teens. New comfortable seating at Ansley Grove, Dufferin Clark and Woodbridge Libraries created more cozy areas for you to read and relax.

checked out

84,679

#loveVPL’s tech

“Providing me with a CREATE IT space to pursue my passion for recording music.”

“The boys enjoyed Solar Core and more at Vaughan Fan Con.”

Many of you explored VPL’s vibrant spaces teeming with maker technology.

Whether you used the tools at the popular MAKE IT! at Pierre Berton Resource Library including electronics, game design and 3D technology; enrolled your children in programs at Bathurst Clark Resource Library’s LEARN IT! to enjoy activities such as virtual reality, coding all kinds of robots and building computers; or recorded video or music in CREATE IT!, the digital media space at Civic Centre Resource Library, you found a way to express your unique creativity and how much you #loveVPL!

new items added to VPL ‘s collection

27,150 library hours open

Vaughan Public Library Board 2015–2018 & Executive Management

From left to right: Palma Pallante, Rosanna DeFrancesca, Lisa McDonough (Director of Customer Experience), Jane Kelly, Manjit Kaur, Maya Goldenberg, Mario Ferri, Ralph Cinelli, Rose Savage (Vice-Chair), Loreta Pavese, Devender Sandhu (Chair), Margie Singleton (CEO), Mubarak Ahmed, Steve Kerwin, Ugo Di Federico, Sandy Vander Werff (Director of Finance & Community Spaces), Marilyn Iafrate, Suri Rosen, Cristina Rizzuto, Aleksandra Dowiat Vine (Director of Growth & Communications), Sandra Yeung Racco, Marilyn Guy (Director of Innovative Technologies & Collections), Pat Yovdoshuk (Executive Assistant) Absent: Lynne Axmith

Locations Ansley Grove Library Bathurst Clark Resource Library Civic Centre Resource Library Dufferin Clark Library Kleinburg Library Maple Library Pierre Berton Resource Library Pleasant Ridge Library Vellore Village Library - Opening Soon Woodbridge Library

www.vaughanpl.info

VPL will open its tenth location, Vellore Village Library, in August 2018.

A new library is being built in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre. It is planned to open in Winter 2019.

Building for the Future