City of Surrey's Annual Financial Report 2021

CITY OF SURREY OVERVIEWS SURREY PUBLIC LIBRARY

Surrey Public Library (Surrey Libraries) has ten branches, located in the six town centres of City Centre, Guildford, Fleetwood, Newton, Cloverdale, and South Surrey, as well as in Clayton, Strawberry Hill, Ocean Park and Port Kells. The Library collects and loans a wide variety of materials in print, audiovisual, and online formats. The Library also offers home delivery service using volunteers to take library materials to people who cannot visit a physical branch. Surrey Libraries offer a wide variety of programs that support literacy, including storytimes for children, job finding and career workshops, reading clubs for children and teens, computer literacy and coding classes, services for newcomers and support for customers with print disabilities. Library staff help citizens find information and resources they need in branch collections, online collections, and by referral to other libraries and community organizations. Patrons can ask questions in person, by phone, or online. The surreylibraries.ca website provides 24/7 access to the library catalogue, digital collections, and program information. From the website, patrons can download eBooks and eAudiobooks, as well as access a wide selection of online databases and resources, including articles, courses, and streaming media. Partnerships with local community agencies help to further extend literacy programs beyond the Library’s walls. Surrey Libraries is a member of the Public Library InterLINK, a federation of 18 library systems in the Lower Mainland that allows citizens to borrow directly from all partner libraries and to return materials at their home library branch. The BC OneCard program allows Surrey residents to borrow materials directly from other participating BC public libraries when they are travelling. The department has responsibility for the following divisions:

ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES Administrative Services manages the physical spaces, as well as the finance, human resources and information technology functions of the Library system, ensuring day-to-day service requirements are met. This division also manages the Library’s image and raises awareness and funds to support and enhance its community services.

PUBLIC SERVICES Public Services manages the borrowing and information services offered in branches and online and plans, promotes, and delivers a wide variety of programs. This division also acquires and manages the print and electronic collections that suit the needs of Surrey’s diverse community.

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• Presented cross-cultural workshops to community partners.

• Continued to provide online programming and curbside pick-up service.

• Provided access to online courses from LinkedIn Learning, Learning Express, Kanopy Great Courses and offered access to Cypress Resume.

• Created a Happy Pride video and promoted LGBTQ2SIA+ through booklists and displays.

• Offered space for unsheltered and unhoused to access during extreme weather (heat domes and cold spells).

• Welcomed 16,435 new library members.

• Offered library services and literacy skills to Surrey’s vulnerable and newcomer populations through outreach programs, reduced barrier access cards, online programming and Internet only user passes.

• Updated the Facilities Master Plan.

• Transitioned the COVID-19 Safety Plan to a Communicable Disease Safety Plan.

• Officially opened the Clayton branch.

• Commenced minor renovations at Ocean Park branch.

• Helped citizens improve digital literacy skills with training in branches and online. • Provided programs to support skill-building, resume writing and job seeking.

• Hosted Indigenous authors and storytellers for children online, provided Indigenous cultural

training to staff and Trustees and closed branches on September 30 to commemorate the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

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