Megan Grittani-Livingston/The Question

Marnie Simon, chair of the Friends of the Pemberton Library, and Library Director Shannon Ellis show off one of the many popular spaces in the new Pemberton and District Library on Monday (April 27).

Business is booming for the Pemberton and District Public Library, as the service has well and truly settled into its new home, and its staff and supporters are gearing up to celebrate the institution’s 30th anniversary.

Library Director Shannon Ellis said an average of 75 new people have joined the library each month since the big move into the new community centre last summer, making a home in the swanky new space with the new furniture and reading area, children’s room, popular computer terminals and expanded office space.

“And we were pretty busy before, too,” Ellis noted.

Last month, the circulation rates took their biggest leap, increasing by 70 per cent and shocking Ellis, who isn’t sure exactly what caused the sudden surge.

“I think people are just getting comfortable with being here,” Ellis said. Library staff and directors are already talking about how to get ahead of the curve in response to the circulation increase, with moves such as ordering more than one copy of popular new titles.

The expanded, free programs offer many more reasons for community members of all ages to swing by the central location. Storytime sessions for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, and a Japanese storytime program, draw between five and 12 participants on average per session, Ellis said.

Programs such as Tuesday game nights drew between 15 and 20 kids from ages six to 16 for the after-school chess club, which has been followed by Scrabble sessions that will continue, though the chess club is going on hiatus. Residual interest in the library has carried over from the programs, Ellis said.

“We’ve really seen an increase in use with the elementary generation… They’re here so much, we really need to seize that opportunity,” Ellis said.

Sessions for seniors have offered everything from computer training and speakers to a seniors’ Easter egg hunt and programs with fitness instructor Lindsay May.

At the hub of so much action, the library is also a place for many community members to hang out, Ellis said. Marnie Simon, chairperson and board liaison for the Friends of the Pemberton Library group, said the venue and its ambiance are a big plus.

The lounge is enhanced by furniture purchased with the $60,000 raised by the Friends of the Library, tables made by high school students in the carpentry and joinery class, and Naylors’ Corner and its stained-glass artwork.

“We never had a readers’ lounge before… It’s a great place to be,” Ellis said.

Ellis said she’s noticed an increase in library use with so many people tightening their belts during the current economic crunch, as she’s “just really seeing people are trying to be a little more conscientious with their money, and we’re a great resource for that.”

In addition to the job search section set up on the library’s website at www.pemberton.bclibrary.ca, and the free computer use, the library is an affordable resource thanks to the fines-free policy adopted at the time of the move into the new facility.

One of the only libraries in Canada to eschew fines, the Pemberton branch is attracting interest from the library community, Ellis said. There hasn’t been a “noticeable decline” in revenue, she said, and the ensuing goodwill and comfort have been worth it.

“It’s going really well. It’s not a free-for-all,” Ellis said, adding, “It’s not like the stuff’s just disappearing. Not everybody has the means to pay fines, (and) I just don’t think that fines make people bring stuff back.”

A May 23 event, from 7 to 10 p.m., will feature celebrations of springtime and the library’s 30 years of service, champagne, entertainment from the Pemberton Music Collective, and a raffle for a valuable whale’s tale sculpture created and donated by Paul Vacirca. Tickets are available for $30 at the library, and proceeds will support the after-school programs.

In 2009, Simon said, the 60 members of the Friends of the Library are looking to continue their usual fundraisers, such as September’s used book sale and November’s wine and cheese reception, to support a wish list of library extras such as the free programming, special collections and finishing decorative touches.

The Friends of the Library annual general meeting is scheduled next Thursday, May 7, at 7 p.m. in the library, offering information and ways to get involved.

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