Press release from Vancouver Island Regional Library

Charting a path forward

May 15, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented
challenges and disruptions across industries,
organizations, and individuals. We have all
been affected and libraries are no different.
On March 16, 2020, Vancouver Island
Regional Library (VIRL) temporarily suspended
all in-branch services to help combat the
spread of COVID-19 — a decision that held
the health and safety of VIRL staff and the
public as its central guiding tenant.

On May 7, British Columbians received news from the provincial government that the 
provinces
will begin a gradual release of COVID-19 related restrictions.

The government, working with public health officials, businesses and labour organizations, will begin to lift restrictions in phases, gradually allowing for more social and economic activity, while closely monitoring health information to minimize the risk to the public. Under this plan, libraries fall under Phase 2, which the government says will likely come into effect on May 19.

To prepare for increased services, VIRL formed a Renewal and Recovery Taskforce that is moving forward with plans to re-instate some services to library customers across our service area. The Taskforce is proceeding with a phased model to safely and efficiently bring services into our communities.

In the coming days, we will share more information, including timelines, locations, and what services are available. VIRL branches will not open on May 19 but we do anticipate the resumption of some services in the very near future. It is vital that we only move forward once we have everything in place to do so safely.

We are working hard to deliver safe and sustainable services for communities large small. Stay tuned for more information.

Directions on how to get a VIRL card

https://virl.bc.ca/get-help/get-a-card/

Adult Winter Reading Club

VI Regional Library Tahsis

Read books for a chance to win prizes!

Simply pick up a reading record at any Vancouver Island Regional Library branch and record what you read for the months of January and February.

Bring in your reading record any time and get a draw ticket for each title recorded for a chance to win weekly book prizes, a $30 gift certificate at your local bookstore, or a Kobo eReader!

https://virl.bc.ca/winter-club/

New Tahsis Library Worker

Please welcome Laura Granger, the new Casual Library Assistant at the Tahsis Branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library.  Laura is looking forward to meeting patrons and helping out with library materials and operations.

eHelp at the Seniors' Centre

Silvie, the librarian writes "Matthew James, Community Services Technician will be in Tahsis on Wednesday, October 18.  He’s doing an "Introduction to VIRL Digital Resources"  presentation at the Seniors’ Centre (299 Alpine Street, the south end of the school) at 2:00.  Digital Resources include audiobooks, language training, access to international newspapers, ancestry searches, music downloads and movies from Kanopy and hoopla – and that’s just a few."

ehelp at the Tahsis Library

If you want to learn how to reserve books, renew books, download music, audiobooks, magazines or movies, come the the Ehelp session and all will be revealed.

If you want to call for an appointment the library is open Saturday from 10-2 and Tuesday morning at 10. Phone is 6621.

August 8th activities at Tahsis Public Library

Karli's last shift at the Tahsis Library.

Karli, the creator of this blog, worked her last shift at the Tahsis Library on Thursday. A few of the regular patrons dropped in with ice cream and shortbread. Yet another place she will be missed when she moves away.

Mozzarella Cheese Making Workshop

Thanks to a grant from the Tahsis Literacy Society, Stephanie O. and I put on a mozzarella cheese making workshop today and it was a lot of fun!  Everyone who came out successfully made delicious fresh mozzarella, and we enjoyed testing some on a homemade pizza with Epicure pesto mix and some drizzled olive oil, with BC tomatoes and sage, lemon thyme, rosemary and oregano from the CMESS herb garden.

Photo by Jennifer B.

Photo by Jennifer B.

Photo by Jennifer B.

 
Everyone went home with the supplies to make several more easy 30 minute batches.  Thanks to Raj S. at Tahsis Supermarket for bringing in the milk, and Healthyway Natural Foods in Campbell River for bringing in the rennet.  When we live far from urban centres, it's important to have supportive local businesses who are willing to bring in special orders for us!

    

The recipe we used was from Barbara Kingsolver's book about local eating: "Animal Vegetable Miracle", available through Vancouver Island Regional Library, along with several other resources on cheese making.  For delicious Epicure spices and all kinds of other great kitchen supplies and ingredients, contact Aubrey S. at Epicure Madness.

If you have an idea for creating a workshop and you think it fits with the mandate of the Tahsis Literacy Society to create, facilitate, and sustain a community of lifelong learners, contact TLS coordinator Louise Guilbert to obtain a grant application at tahsisliteracy@gmail.com.

July11 Events at the Tahsis Library

eHelp Session at Vancouver Island Regional Library Tahsis Branch

Visit the Tahsis branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library on Tuesday afternoon for help with eReaders, downloading audio books, or accessing information, movies, music and games online with your VIRL library card!

 Our community support technician Matthew will be on hand to help with all your eHelp questions. Call the branch for more information. 250.934.6621

Great New Resources at Vancouver Island Regional Library







 

OnePlay 

OnePlay offers a digital gaming service, where users can instantly download and play unlimited Android and PC games for free OnePlay includes over 2,000 games from more than 75 different publishers. 1500+ PC titles 500+ Android titles No holds, no waiting. Download the games you want to your computer and play them whenever and wherever you are – no internet required Login can be used in the library, at home and on multiple devices Parents can set a different password from the account to approve activation of game *Note: If you use Zinio, you can log in with the same Zinio username and password.







 

Comics Plus

 

Comics Plus: Library Edition brings unlimited access to thousands of digital graphic novels and comics to library patrons on any Web-connected device. View titles through your Web browser on any computer, tablet or smartphone with an Internet connection. Read titles through the iOS Mobile App for iPad or iPhone. Browse by genre, publisher, and comic — then instantly check out your favorites. Access comics whenever you want them — no holds or waiting. *Note: If you use Zinio, you can log in with your Zinio login and password.

 

Kanopy      

Kanopy is a video streaming platform for libraries with one of the largest and most unique collections in the world. It features more than 26,000 movies, documentaries, and indie and foreign films from hundreds of producers, including The Criterion Collection, The Great Courses, Kino Lorber, PBS and thousands of independent filmmakers.

 

National Geographic Virtual Library

VIRL library cardholders now have access to the complete collection of magazines, videos and images from National Geographic's virtual library!
Whether you're into wildebeest or winged beasts, get ready for a world of discovery and adventure that awaits you with your VIRL library card! 
(Oh, and hey, kids - there's a National Geographic for you to explore that's just for you)

Family Storytime continues at VIRL Tahsis Branch

 

Some of my littlest patrons at the Vancouver Island Regional Library Tahsis Branch!

photo by Shawna G.

photo by Jennifer B.

Photo by Shawna G.

 

Family Storytime at VIRL Tahsis Branch

Halloween Story Time at the Library

Cookie Monster

Karma and Karli (me)

Gaia

Some Vampires showed up in the afternoon.  (It's difficult to wake up in the morning when you are a vampire!)

One of the vampires was spotted later enjoying some Halloween jello at Sally's Grill

Family Story Time

The Family Story Time at the library is lots of fun, and last Saturday was an autumn theme.  The kids received knitted pumpkin hats donated by Stephanie, and some mini pumpkins from Dave and Stella's Tahsis Community Garden bed.  

The program is aimed at kids 5 and under with their families, and there are 3 more sessions left in this season.  We have stories and songs and exploring the library.  

The remaining dates are October 29th, November 12th and November 26th at 10:30 am at the Vancouver Island Regional Library Tahsis Branch.

(On October 29th feel free to wear a costume and we will have treats)

Welcome Back Week!

From the Vancouver Island Regional Library Website: 

Introducing Welcome Back Week!

 

 

 

For one week in October (during I <3 Library Month), customers are being invited to bring back their overdue materials to have all associated fines and costs removed! The library is welcoming everyone, especially those with late fees, to visit their branch October 23-29^th and get back into borrowing again!

Customers who can’t find their overdue materials or have long outstanding fines are also welcome back during Welcome Back Week. VIRL will waive up to $20 owing from their account and, for those with fees in excess of $20, can provide a payment plan to help make paying back fines more manageable.
 
Why Welcome Back Week? For those who can’t afford it, having an overdue fine can make the difference between choosing to come back to their library or not, and therefore accessing the wealth of resources and opportunities their library provides. VIRL is a vital resource for the community as an access point to public computers, job seeking help, printing, tech support, the internet, and of course, access to a huge collection of materials which promote literacy, learning and enrichment.
Initiatives like Welcome Back Week are tried and tested programs that bring people back to their local libraries and materials back into circulation; they have been shown to work effectively when employed.

With October being Canadian Library Month, the opportunity was perfect to host and promote a Welcome Back Week across Vancouver Island Regional Library, encouraging library use, increasing access to literacy in our communities and enriching lives through universal access to knowledge and lifelong learning.
 
To participate during Welcome Back Week, visit a branch or to learn more, contact us at info@virl.bc.ca or 1-877-415-VIRL!

Family Storytime at the Library

eBooks Made Easy, and Tech Tuesday at VIRL Tahsis Branch

 

Exciting Press Release from Vancouver Island Regional Library

 

A New Library for the Village of Tahsis

 

Plans are underway for the relocation and redevelopment of the Tahsis Library; benefitting local school, customers and community

NANAIMO, June 8th, 2016 – Plans are underway for the relocation and redevelopment of the Tahsis library, according to the Village of Tahsis, Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) and School District 84.

The news was announced at the VIRL Board of Trustees regular meeting held on May 28thin Nanaimo by VIRL’s Executive Director, Rosemary Bonanno.

The Tahsis library, which is a branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library’s cooperative, 39-branch system, will be relocated and refurbished to the nearby Captain Meares Elementary Secondary School. The plan supports VIRL’s strategic objectives to provide welcoming community spaces while optimizing public resources, responsibly manage costs and strengthen the community through collaborative partnerships.

"The Village Council is delighted to see the Tahsis Library move to a larger, more modern, and accessible space," said Tahsis Mayor, Jude Schooner. "The library in Tahsis, like many rural communities, is the heart and soul of our community. Locating it within Captain Meares school will make the school a center for all readers and learners. We are grateful for this partnership between Vancouver Island Regional Library and School District #84 which will ensure a solid future for our library."

The announcement follows the results of a report that investigated the costs to renovate the existing branch library, located at 977 South Maquinna Drive. Based on available options, it was determined that the current branch, which is shared with the Village of Tahsis Municipal Hall, would be more costly to renovate than the alternative option which would see the library at the nearby K-12 school.

In consultation with the Village of Tahsis and School District 84, the Captain Meares Elementary Secondary School was found to meet both load and facility requirements of the library while also potentially serving the school and community further. Investing in the library at the school invests in the school and the community, supporting the children and senior’s group that currently enjoy the space.

"Ease of student and staff access to new technology and an expanded collection of materials means that the re-location of the Tahsis branch to Captain Meares fully reflects and supports School District 84 (Vancouver Island West)’s mission statement," comments Lawrence Tarasoff, Superintendent and Secretary Treasurer, School District 84. "In partnership with our diverse communities, School District 84 will provide all students with a  quality education relevant to the demands of a modern society."



The new library branch, located in the vacant west-wing of the school, will be approximately 1,500 square feet - making it almost double the size of the existing branch. With the needed renovation also comes a refreshed and tailored collection for the community, newer technology and equipment including public computers, continued free WiFi, and enhanced access for those with disabilities.


In 2015, the Tahsis library welcomed almost 4,000 visitors through its doors with over 10,000 items borrowed last year alone. Almost two-thirds of the population of the Village of Tahsis is a registered card-holder. The library card in the Village of Tahsis is valued at approximately $1,636 in 2015, based on the unique items borrowed.


Construction of the new library is expected to commence in the Fall of 2016 with a completion date in 2017.


What are the Costs?


The VIRL budget accounts for the cost of renovations and improvements to all of the branch libraries in its system as a part of a 10-year Facility Master Plan. In this way, no additional costs are required to be paid by the community (in essence, the community is already paying into the maintenance and refurbishment costs of their libraries). As a regional library system, the cost of VIRL’s libraries are shared by all community members within the regional service area – making the total increased cost in library services for all community members year after year equivalent to the cost of a cup of coffee.


When Will I Know More?

More information will follow as a construction timeline is developed. Visit virl.bc.ca for the latest updates and news about upcoming projects and events!

###

Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) is the fifth-largest library system in British Columbia. We serve over 430,000 people on Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii, and Bella Coola on the Central Coast through 39 branch libraries, a virtual branch, and a books-by-mail service. VIRL’s holdings number one million and include books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. Administrative offices are located in Nanaimo.

For more information contact:
 
Natasha Bartlett
Marketing and Communications Officer
250-327-3114
nbartlett@virl.bc.ca