Vancouver Island Regional Library staff are conducting a series of engagement sessions to chart the path forward for the organization. (File Photo/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

LOOKING AHEAD

Long-overdue engagement sessions to plot path for Island libraries

Oct 5, 2022 | 12:10 PM

NANAIMO — Vancouver Island Regional Library staff are looking to get a sense of what the future looks like for their member communities.

A series of engagement sessions across the Island is already underway, with stops in Parksville, Nanaimo and Ladysmith planned over the coming weeks.

David Carson, spokesperson for VIRL, said the landscape has changed drastically since their last strategic planning in 2016.

“We know that to be successful, we need meaningful feedback and insights and ideas from our member communities. We have a good idea of what we think we want to do, but we don’t know what we don’t know and the best place we can find out…is by talking to our community members.”

An engagement session will be held in Parksville Wednesday, Oct. 5 at the Parksville Community Centre on Jensen Ave. between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

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Similar sessions will take place Friday, Oct. 7 at the Wellington branch (inside Country Club Centre) between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Meetings at the Nanaimo North (Hammond Bay Rd.) and Qualicum Beach branches are due Oct. 20, as well as Nanaimo Harbourfront and Ladysmith on Oct. 24.

Carson said one of the things being looked at is how people use the library, with a big change in services being accessed over the last six years.

Closures and new-normals in the pandemic era seem to have permanently adjusted people’s habits.

“We had been seeing a pretty steady increase in people accessing our digital library…we’d been seeing that rising year over year. Since we’ve re-opened and we’re seeing our physical circulation creeping back up…what we’re not seeing is a reduction in people consuming that digital content.”

One of the biggest challenges for VIRL will be their budget. Recently updated, around 97 per cent of their costs are fixed which leaves little wiggle room.

Carson said they can still shift things around if they hear big demand for particular services.

“If we’re hearing loud and clear from our communities if they’re interested certain technologies and resources, we can take a look within the scope of what we have available to spend, how we can reallocate…to make sure we can meet the needs of our communities.”

Vancouver Island Regional Library oversees 39 branches, located throughout the Island, central coast and Haida Gwaii.

More information on the sessions is available on the VIRL website.

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