2015 ANNUAL REPORT
Your place to connect, discover and imagine.
2015 ANNUAL REPORT
MESSAGE FROM THE CEO & BOARD CHAIR The final year of our Strategic Plan to Inspire, Create, Engage and Lead came to a close in 2015. Over the last five years, during the course of the plan, we made significant enhancements to library service in Greater Victoria. These innovations included the introduction of exciting new digital collections, enhanced services for priority groups and expanded community partnerships. We have moved the library forward while staying true to our roots as an inclusive and welcoming place where people feel a sense of belonging and a connection to their community. People are what make our library great: patrons who regularly visit their local branches, volunteers who deliver books to the homebound and donors who generously support our work. At the heart of the library are the dedicated staff and Board members who are committed to making GVPL your place to connect, discover and imagine.
Maureen Sawa Chief Executive Officer
Kevin Murdoch Board Chair
LEAD GVPL CEO Maureen Sawa received the prestigious United Way of Greater Victoria Award for Collaboration and Partnership from Leadership Victoria in 2015. Maureen was recognized for her collaborative approach to library service and GVPL’s commitment to building community. Library staff and volunteers work in partnership with more than 100 groups and organizations in the region.
NURTURE GVPL established the Emerging Local Authors Collection in 2015 to highlight self-published, independent and small press books by local authors. Each spring, GVPL will launch a new collection of authors with print books showcased in the rotunda at Central Branch and ebooks online at gvpl.ca/ emerginglocalauthors
READ GVPL added another offering to its growing digital collection with Zinio for Libraries, featuring hundreds of popular magazines that span fashion, business, health, technology and more. GVPL cardholders can sign into the digital collection and instantly read an issue on their mobile device or their home computer. There are no holds required, no limit to the number of magazines you can check out, and no need to return them.
ENABLE No e-reader? No problem. The library now lends Nexus 7 Tablets so you can explore the library’s extensive digital collections including ebooks, e-audiobooks, movies, television shows, music and magazines.
DISCOVER
SUPPORT
GVPL introduced a new program guide to make it easier for you to discover the programs and services available at the library. From genealogy workshops, to musical storytimes, to help with your iPad ‌ there is something for everyone at the library! Program guides are available at all branches or online at gvpl.ca Adults Teens
Library lovers curled up with a good book and donated the money they would have spent on a night out to support the library. The Stay at Home and Read a Book campaign attracted many new donors and raised awareness about the important role private donations play in helping the library enhance its collection and pilot innovative programs and services.
Kids
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PLAY
Programs & Outreach Activities
Programs & Outreach Activities
Programs & Outreach Activities
Children learn essential skills from play, and toys are an important way to facilitate play. GVPL developed the Skill Builders Adaptive Toys collection to provide families with young children who have cognitive, physical, sensory or communicative challenges with the opportunity to borrow adaptive toys. The kits also include information and resources for parents and caregivers. This special collection was made possible with funding from the Victoria Foundation.
SERVE In 2011, GVPL worked with Literacy Victoria to set up a simple lending library of donated and discarded books at the Vancouver Island Regional Correctional Centre. The lending service was extremely popular. In 2015, GVPL established the first formalized library service at the correctional centre in more than 100 years. Inmates may now borrow books from the GVPL collection using a shared corporate account.
EXPLORE DigiLab is the brainchild of a group of teens who wanted a place where they could design and lead activities for other youth. DigiLab allows youth to express their creativity, try new technologies, build leadership skills and meet new people. GVPL staff work with the teens to choose art supplies and equipment for the mobile kit, which moves to different locations. DigiLab was made possible with a grant from the United Way of Greater Victoria.
REFRESH The most valuable item in your wallet — your library card — got a makeover with the introduction of three new fun and attractive designs to better represent the vitality and community-focus of the library. The cards come with corresponding miniature keychain cards for added convenience.
Overall Circulation
5,977,540 eMaterials Circulation
632,693
Statement of financial information at gvpl.ca/2015financials
THANK YOU GVPL would like to acknowledge individuals and organizations who gave generously to the library. Donor support allowed us to improve our print collections and pilot exciting new programs and services this year. Thank you for your generousity and vision. David Alexander
Kennedy Cullen
Pauline Johnson
Ali Muller
Jill Sewell
Theresa Aspol
CUPE 410
Susie Jones
Kevin Murdoch
Ruth Sherwood
Douglas Atkinson
Donna Curtis
Lynne Jordon
Kelly Nguyen
Bruce Sieffert
Ruth Bahri
Maxine Dell
Lisa Kadonaga
Cheryl Osborn
Elisabeth Silvester
Annette Barclay
Richard and Anita Dougherty
Kenneth Kelly
Susan Parsons
Jane Small
Tracy Kendrick
Vruti Patel
Anne Kirkaldy
Claire Paterson Monty Peters
Sons of Scotland Benevolent Association
Renee Bauert
Irene Feir
Mavis Beechey
Fatima Ferreira
Sylvia Bell
Michelle Gagnier
Gerald and June Klassen
Michael and Sirpa Bell
Jennifer Gait
Veronica Knox
Angela Gibson
Janine Konkel
Jackie Bennett
Arthur Goldman
Barbara Latham
Josie Bernhard
H. G. Goudy
Library Bound
Maggie Bolitho
Lyle Grant
Mary Lindsay
Eric Bramble
Mandy Greyling
Eduardo Loos
Andrea Brimmell
Alexandra Gros
Roger Love
Phillippa Brown
Julian Gunn
Kem Luther
Greg Bunyan
Paramjit Haere
Roberta Burris
Mary Hall
Elizabeth MacPherson
Oona Hayes
Pamela Madoff
Patricia Robertson and the Blue Heron Singers
Byron Henriques
Carol Marica
Karel Roessingh
Judith Hobbs
James McDaniel and Susan Dier
Ion Rosu
United Way of Greater Victoria
Robert McInnes
Robin Sacker-van Gessel
Neil Vallance
Amanda Butler Martha Carlsen Maureen Cassels Carl Cavanagh
Patricia Pinder
Spire
Alyssa Polinsky
Adina Spivak
Susan Pope
Colleen Stewart
Lani Portlock
Denise Stocco
Audrey Prendergast
Kris and Pushpa Tangri
Janet Price Elizabeth Rayner Harald Rieck Jennifer Rischmiller
Devon Tatton Kachina Teixeira Tara ToddMacdonald United Way Toronto York Region
Edythe Charles
Annemieke Holthuis
Diane Cliffe
Robert Hope
Karen McIvor
Edmund Salt
Caroline Vanslyke
Communications and Public Relations Foundation
Cory Horner
Kerri McLeod
Terry Sandwith
Victoria Foundation
Patrick Hunt
Maryan Meadows
Kathy Santini
Andy Vuong
Brad Jarvis
Murcia Mears
Julia Saul
Jessica Walker
Annie Jensen
Rance Yan Ki Mok
Maureen Sawa
David Wild
Valerie Johnson
Nancy Moses
Doris Schuh
Sharon Young
Courthouse Libraries BC Bruce Cousins
Cover photo: Soren Egeberg/stocksy.com
Rosemary Barlow