BIG CITY, BIG EVENTS, BIG AMENITIES, BIG FUTURE PROGRESS 2019  Page 34


LethbridgePublicLibrary celebrates100 yearsof service andgrowth Dave Mabell LETHBRIDGE HERALD dmabell@lethbridgeherald.com


hundred years ago, it became a signal that Lethbridge was a progressive and


growing city. After building a streetcar


system and hosting the InternationalDry Farming Congress, the city opened a public library. Much has changed over the


decades since but at the Lethbridge Public Library, chief executive officer Terra Plato says, some basics remain. “Fromthe start, it was


conceived as a safe place for people to go,” she says. “It was made for everybody.” One hundred years later,


Plato says, “In some ways,we probably haven’t changed as much as people think. But howwe fulfil that role has changed.” There’s still a focus on books


and resources—and today, there are so many resources available. And the library still works to


promote and improve literacy. As a city thatwelcomes newcomers fromall parts of the world, there’s always a role to play in helping adults become functional in English. “But the definition of


literary has changed,” Plato says. “It’s not just reading and writing.” The library promotes


“physical literacy” by loaning toys, sports equipment, pedometers, nordic walking poles and other gear in the same way as books,movies and recorded music. Health literacy is another


priority, with people wanting to eatmore locally grown,


Herald photo by Ian Martens


The Lethbridge Public Librarymarks 100 years in the city as it continues to growand provide access to themany newtypes of resources for those it serves.


homemade meals instead of fast food. Financial literacy is another, with students and lower-income workers learning howto budget their income, spend it wisely—and avoid spiralling debt. And Plato says digital


literacy is increasingly important, in a time when feature-filled cellphones are everywhere. But not everyone can run power point or word processing programs on a sit- down computer. That’s why the library offers plenty of computer access, along with help for those learning their way. “If you don’t have access to


a school, if you’re an adult learner or you’re a new immigrant, the public library is a place you can go.” And as an incentive for


those who use the library to discover more resources in


Lethbridge, Plato says the library offers passes to swimming pools, concerts, the GaltMuseum “and even baseball games.We really try to promote it. “We are really about


connecting people to information, but also to the community and to other people.” With new, larger meeting


spaces, the library is also home base for a variety of groups:New parents, immigrants, out-of-school GSA groups, book clubs and more. At the same time, Plato says,


library staff members make a point of keeping in touch with groups and organizations throughout the city. “We have over 90


partnerships,” she reports. “We spend a lot of time working with other groups.”


Today’s libraries aim at


meeting community needs, Plato emphasizes. “We’re increasingly


community-led and value- driven.” And that means ensuring


everybody has access to the information they need. “Libraries are increasingly


becoming the champions of social justice,” Plato explains. “So ensuring that the voices of the minority and marginalized people (are heard)—they have a voice in the community.” Bringing the Community


Links agency into the library is part of that belief, she adds. City residents living with addictions or disabilities can learn about supportive groups and services. “We thought it was a great


opportunity to connect people whare are in our


library every day to (those) services,” Plato says. “But it’s not just the


vulnerable,we have people use our services fromall walks of life.” Looking ahead, Plato says


library officials continually monitor the community’s needs—including access closer to their homes in a steadily-growing city. Lethbridge residents’ use of


the Crossings Branch has already exceeded projections for the year 2030, she reports. Business is also brisk on the Bookmobile, thoughmost of its stops are at city schools. Plato says that’s no


replacement formore neighbourhood libraries as the city continues to grow north, south andwest. “Our long-termplans are to


have more community branches.”


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44