The province has provided the Prince Rupert Public Library with a $14,682 library enhancement grant for 2024, which has allowed the library to make a unique new purchase.
“We have spent a little bit of it on purchasing some really interesting, really rare and valuable digital copies of correspondence of a person who was instrumental in some of the communities here, quite a long time ago in the 1800s,” said Katie Arendt, library circulation staff member.
These are handwritten letters of William Duncan, who was a colonial missionary settler, who arrived at Fort Simpson in the northwest territories, now known as Lax Ka’alaams in 1857. He was living with the Ts'msyen people and was instrumental in setting up the communities of Metlakatla and New Metlakatla.
Arendt said these records are thousands of individual digital files that the public can now read, and will be particularly useful to historians and researchers.
While the full extent of how the grant funds will be used has not been decided yet, the library aims to expand representation in reading material, services for locals, and Indigenous artwork for library walls.
They are continuously adding work from more Indigenous authors, and have recently created a Lisa Latimer Reconciliation collection. This lineup honours their late head of circulation, Lisa Doolan Latimer, who was from the Nass Valley and passionate about Truth and Reconciliation.
In August, the library also started providing access to a brand-new online video streaming platform called Kanopy. This was prompted by a consistent decline in the number of DVDs being borrowed over the last few years.
Kanopy is a service that provides a wide range of film and television genre options to watch for free.
They are also conducting various children’s programs such as Tales for Two, Storyhour, and Babytime Rhyme, and are open to creating an adult program on public demand.
"We are your building," said Arendt "I think a lot of times people think that you have to have a library card to be in the library, but the library itself belongs to the community. It's a community building, the floors, the walls, the books, the staff, everybody here belongs to the community," said Arendt.
A library card is completely free and people can use the building for document services, its WiFi and computers. Arendt reminds people how the library is an ideal place for cheap printing and photocopying. Patron can also use the staff’s assistance for scanning and faxing among other things.
She believes people often form a rigid association of only visiting a library if they are avid readers. However, the building has a lot more to offer than books.
“It's one of the only places in the world where you're allowed to be without us expecting you to spend money. It's free to be here.”
In the first half of 2024, the Prince Rupert Public Library recorded a circulation of 32,000 items and 23,000 patron visits.
The library was also able to resume first aid training for staff members after a few years of little to no upgrading. This included Basic First Aid and CPR training. The staff also received Naloxone administration and overdose prevention training.
