The results of last Saturday’s civic election in Port Moody may have thrown a wrench into the notion of the city acquiring a new, expanded library as part of a dense, mixed-use development on the old fire hall property, but it hasn’t stopped the library’s director from looking toward a future that will require more space.
“It’s not a matter of do we need a library,” said Marc Saunders, who has been the head of Port Moody Public Library for eight months, after stints in Prince George and Kamloops. “That’s been demonstrated.”
A push to achieve that as part of a possible density bonus with a developer charged to transform the vacant fire hall property and nearby public works yard into an urban community of highrise condo towers, office and commercial space, as well as a public plaza and possible seniors' housing, was rejected by voters Oct. 20.
In a special non-binding referendum that was part of the city’s civic election ballot, 53% of those who voted said the city shouldn’t sell or lease the properties for private development.
Saunders said the library’s size in relation to the population it serves has been an issue for years. In fact, an audit in 2016 concluded it was just 43% of the size it needed to be.
And despite an extensive renovation last winter to allow the library to make more efficient use of its 13,000 sq. ft., Saunders said it’s still a squeeze.
“It’s hard to conduct popular programs in such a tight space,” he said as the chorus of a singalong in the children’s section filtered through his office wall. “People say it’s too noisy, there’s not enough places to sit.”
Nov. 1, the library will launch an online survey to better gauge the needs and desires of the community as PMPL begins plotting its strategic plan for the next three to five years. Members of the library board and staff will also be out and about during the three-week period the survey is being conducted to chat up patrons, hear their concerns first-hand and encourage their input.
Saunders said there’s likely to be no shortage of ideas.
Ironically, it may be the library’s small size and central location as part of Port Moody civic complex that has bred such passion among its users, Saunders said.
“The building is small but it’s promoted a level of intimacy,” he said, adding, “Port Moody library is a real gem.”
Keeping that gem a place residents treasure is an ongoing challenge, especially with changes in technology and the way people acquire and digest information, Saunders said.
Last winter’s renovation, which cost approximately half a million dollars, added several digital work stations, replaced the old information desk with a digital creation station, and updated carpeting, study areas and the children’s section. Saunders said the library needs to go further to keep up with the community’s ever-evolving needs. He said he envisions things like a studio that enables users to learn how to create their own podcasts as well as initiatives to encourage the city’s entrepreneurial community to experiment with technology and equipment like a 3-D printing station.
“The library plays a critical role by preserving the platform for the community to express different ideas,” Saunders said. “We have to include and expand the needs that have often been overlooked.”
Saunders said he and the library board are keen to sit down with the new mayor and council as the strategic plan is formulated, likely by early in the new year, to discuss the library’s role and needs in a growing community. That includes how to attain a new facility.
Saunders also won’t rule out the possibility of adding a satellite branch but he said the priority has to be the central branch.
“It’s important for the library to be efficient,” he said. “Let’s not make it too hard on the taxpayers.”
