literacy day report 2016 - surrey libraries more ways than simply reading and writing. ... 3 the...

1 THE 2016 LITERACY DAY REPORT


Library Board: Jim Bennett (Vice Chair) Surinder Bhogal (Chief Librarian & Secretary of the Board) Stanley Chang Aya Abdel Dayem (Youth Representative) Greg Down Perbeen Mann Susan Muraja Neelam Sahota Karen Reid Sidhu John Shepherd Upkar Tatlay (Chair) Dave Woods (Council Representative)

www.surreylibraries.ca

Cover photography: Rick ChapmanWritten and produced by: Carolyn JackDesign and illustration: Mia Hansen


Surrey Libraries has always played an important role in my family and our day-to-day activities.

My father has meetings at City Centre branch. My grandfather, who just recently passed away, was a historian and religious scholar and was always researching at the library. My kids participate in the Summer Book Clubs and go to the branch for activities like

storytimes. I come in to pick up the latest book on science and society by Jo Marchand, or go on the Surrey Libraries website to take a look through a copy of a business magazine.

Like others, we are a family with many different needs — and all of them get met in the community’s hub for learning, our local library branch.

That’s what makes Surrey Libraries special. Whether you’re young or old... whether you’re in school or graduated decades ago... whether your first language is English or some other tongue — our library system is everyone’s centre for engagement and learning.

More and more residents are discovering the value of the library. Last year, we welcomed 7100 visitors each day — that’s an 11 per cent increase from five years ago.

I’m proud of the ways that our library is contributing to a better life for everyone in our community. In this year’s Literacy Report, we wanted to show you the many ways the

Library is a key builder of our community — not only in providing literacy and learning, but in ways that may surprise you.

We hope you’ll be impressed by what you see in these pages — and that you’ll come in soon to see what Surrey Libraries can do for you and your family.

Upkar Tatlay [email protected]

BOARD CHAIR’S MESSAGE

More and more residents are discovering the value of the library. Last year, we welcomed 7100 visitors each day — that’s an 11 per cent increase from five years ago.

It takes a library to raise a community. Our Literacy Day theme this year reflects Surrey Libraries’ role as a builder of community — as a place where the essential blocks of literacy are a foundation helping everyone who lives here to construct a better future.

Our nine branches not only provide thousands of residents each day with access to information and learning, but are a bridge to resources and community involvement, foster civic engagement, promote economic vitality, and are agents of inclusion and

equity. Having a library branch in your neighbourhood truly does raise a better, more cohesive, more engaged Surrey.

As we look ahead to constructing a tenth branch in Clayton, Surrey Libraries is celebrating the vital role our branches play in building community in our rapidly growing city.

We can see the positive contributions in the numbers in this report. In the five years since City Centre branch opened, Surrey Libraries has tremendously expanded its literacy support to residents. Participants in our ESL programming have increased by more than 50 per cent, and our community outreach program, launched the same year as the City Centre branch opened, assisted nearly three thousand low-income and other vulnerable people with access to library cards, books, and important services last year alone.

I’m particularly proud of our many community partnerships. Over 70 different local organizations collaborated with us last year to bring a great array of learning and engagement opportunities to residents — everything from legal workshops and tax clinics to cultural events.

As I embark on my first year as Chief Librarian, I’m looking forward to building on this success, and I hope you’ll reach out to me with your ideas on how Surrey Libraries can help raise our community.

Surinder Bhogal [email protected]

CHIEF LIBRARIAN’S MESSAGE

...our community outreach program, launched the same year as the City Centre branch opened, assisted nearly three thousand low-income and other vulnerable people with access to library cards, books, and important services last year alone.


Literacy touches the lives of all ages in our community, from all backgrounds and walks of life. And in so many more ways than simply reading and writing. Literacy in the 21st century includes fluency in basic numeracy and budgeting skills, using a computer and much more. The Library is Surrey’s literacy leader — providing the support to raise literacy levels for everyone from pre-schoolers to seniors.

IT TAKES A LIBRARY TO RAISE A COMMUNITY

1Access to Information & Learning

4Promote Economic Vitality

3Foster Civic Engagement


IT TAKES A LIBRARY TO RAISE A COMMUNITY

As a hub for lifelong learning, the Library is a key agent in so many aspects of growing our community. Uniquely so — because young or old, rich or poor, long term resident or brand new Canadian, everyone is welcome. And everyone can access this world of learning — for free. It takes a library to raise a community.1

5Social Inclusion & Equity

1 We are inspired by the work of researcher Rachel Scott and our colleagues in Ontario Library Service North for this report. Rachel Scott, “The Role of Public Libraries in Community Building”, Public Library Quarterly, (Dec. 2011), pgs 191-227. Marjatta Assu and Leanne Clendening, “It Takes A Library to Raise a Community”, paper presented at Ontario Library Association Conference, January 31 – February 3, 2007.

4Promote Economic Vitality

2Bridge to Resources & Community Involvement


LIBRARIES PROVIDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION & LEARNING

71076396

20152011

AVERAGEVISITS

PER DAY

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

411,320375,362

20152011

36-THOUSAND MORE QUESTIONS this year than in 2011!

Do you have a book on hockey

for my 5 year old?

Where is the new Adele DVD?

Can you help me find my grandmother's obituary? How do you download an e-book?

Do you have magazines in Hindi?

How do I work the photocopier?

12 123

4567

8910

11MORE THAN 30% of Surrey Library usersstay for MORE THAN 1 HOUR when they visit!

UP11%

UP9.5%

ASKME

...AND SPENDING MORE TIME HERE.

MORE PEOPLE ARE VISITING THE LIBRARY...

The library is everyone’s gateway to a world of learning, and is at the forefront of ensuring all residents have full access to literacy — not only reading and language skills, but also numeracy and basic computer usage.


LIBRARIES PROVIDE ACCESS TO INFORMATION & LEARNING

71076396

20152011

AVERAGEVISITS

PER DAY

QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS, QUESTIONS

411,320375,362

20152011

36-THOUSAND MORE QUESTIONS this year than in 2011!

Do you have a book on hockey

for my 5 year old?

Where is the new Adele DVD?

Can you help me find my grandmother's obituary? How do you download an e-book?

Do you have magazines in Hindi?

How do I work the photocopier?

12 123

4567

8910

11MORE THAN 30% of Surrey Library usersstay for MORE THAN 1 HOUR when they visit!

UP11%

UP9.5%

ASKME

While some people believe that the Internet is replacing the need for libraries, statistics show that more and more people are coming to the library… that they spend significant time when they’re here… and that they need the help of library staff to find answers to a vast range of questions. Last year, more than 7100 people come through the doors each day to find a book to read or information they needed, to use a computer, or to take part in a storytime or other program offered in the Library.


SUZAN ANBARI, Options Community Services, Refugee Program Coordinator

The Library is a hub for the whole community. But, for new Canadians, it is a particularly important centre for finding resources and getting involved in the community.

Over 40 per cent of Surrey residents are immigrants, and this proportion is expected to increase over the coming years. These new Canadians bring much-needed skills and energy to our community and economy. At the same time, many need assistance with core literacy skills.

Whether developing English conversation skills in an ESL program, or learning how to use a computer or find a job, the Library is a central resource for ensuring community engagement and a full range of literacy capabilities for new Canadians. Last year alone, nearly three thousand adults benefited from programming directed towards our newest residents, including ESL bookclubs, computer training in Punjabi, Mandarin and other languages, and career and resume workshops.

LIBRARIES ARE A BRIDGE TO RESOURCES & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Nearly 6000 ADULTS AND CHILDREN benefited from specific programming to help our newest residents.

2011

2011

ADULTS

KIDS

29012015

29902015

1897

1987

That’s an INCREASE OF 53% FOR ADULTS and 50% FOR KIDS since 2011!


SUZAN ANBARI, Options Community Services, Refugee Program Coordinator

Since November 2015, Surrey has received about 800 refugees from Syria.2 The Library works with Surrey Local Immigration Partnership, including Options Community Services, in providing specialised free programming for these new Canadians, including English-Arabic storytimes for mothers and children.

“My family lives in the library. Since coming to Canada some years ago, it’s become an important part of our life. I want to make sure that other new Canadians have the same opportunity — and that’s why I wanted to introduce this service to the new Syrian families arriving now. Mothers have the opportunity to learn about the importance of reading to their children, and the chance to interact with their children and other mothers. And they learn about all the great things available for them for free here at the Library. Not only books, but movie nights, LEGO® clubs — there are so many things that can help a new family to connect and integrate in the community.”

HELPING OUR NEWEST CANADIANSMany new Canadians arrive as refugees. From 2010 to 2015, Surrey was BC’s largest recipient of government-assisted refugees, with 25-30% of all refugees settling in BC.

“...movie nights, LEGO® clubs — there are so many things that can help a new family to connect and integrate in the community.”

LIBRARIES ARE A BRIDGE TO RESOURCES & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

2 Immigrant Services Society of BC.


LIBRARIES FOSTER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & PROMOTE ECONOMIC VITALITY

Village Surrey fosters connections, food security, and the development of skills, knowledge and technologies to transition to a less energy intensive and healthier way of life.

“The Library is a neutral space. It provides us with a place where people from many diverse activities and perspectives can come together. Our goal at Village Surrey is to have the artists talking to the economists, and the economists talking to the gardeners, and the gardeners talking to the business people. From skill sharing fairs, to the creation of community gardens, to conversations about crime prevention — it has been critical for us to have the library space to make our community projects happen.”

Literacy in Surrey is lifted up by many hands. Surrey Libraries collaborates with more than seventy community partners each year to provide programming and services that make a difference to the lives and learning opportunities of residents. Legal workshops... tax clinics... cultural events… English As a Second Language programming and more — all are made possible by partnerships with community groups, such as these:

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DAVID DALLEY, Coordinator of Village Surrey Transition Initiative

Access Pro Bono

Arts Council of Surrey

BC Genealogical Society

BC Ministry of Social Development

Centre for Child Development

City of Surrey

DIVERSEcity

Dr. Ambedkar Federation

Fraser Health

Fraser Region Aboriginal Friendship Centre

Immigrant Services Society

Kwantlen Polytechnic University

LifeCycles

Local Business Improvement Associations

Lookout Society

Maker Cube


LIBRARIES FOSTER CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & PROMOTE ECONOMIC VITALITY

Options Community Services

Pacific Community Resources Society

People’s Law School

PICS

RCMP

Revenue Canada

Rotary Clubs

SEEDS

Simon Fraser University

Sources

S.U.C.C.E.S.S.

PROMOTING ECONOMIC VITALITYLibraries are hives of business buzz. Surrey Libraries hosts workshops and entrepreneur exchanges, as well as special clinics to help people in their job search or career development. Last year, nearly 3000 people came to our branches to participate in programs designed to foster economic vitality.

We’re particularly excited about Rock That Interview — a new program at Cloverdale Library which helps teens to develop their job interviewing skills. Launched last year in collaboration with Work BC, Starbucks, Shoppers Drug Mart, Boston Pizza and Panago Pizza were some of the great local business partners helping teens to get ready for the workplace, along with youth employment expert and author Jennifer Swanson. More than 30 teens attended, and we’re looking forward to growing the program this coming year.

and many more!

Surrey Board of Trade

Surrey Food Bank

Surrey Pride

Surrey School District 36

Surrey Urban Mission

Tzu Chi Foundation

Umoja Operation Compassion Society

Village Surrey Transition Initiative

Work BC

YWCA


LIBRARIES ARE AGENTS OF INCLUSION AND EQUITY

PROMOTING ABILITY

Millions of Canadians live with disabilities. One in seven Canadians over the age of fifteen has a disability — whether physical, intellectual, visual, hearing, psychiatric, or learning.

Despite advances in technology and learning tools, people with disabilities are still being left behind on their journey towards literacy. Roughly 50% of Canadians with disabilities experience literacy barriers. Twenty percent of adults with disabilities have less than a grade nine education, more than double the rate for non-disabled adults.3

To help support literacy for people with visual or hearing impairments, Surrey Libraries is constantly increasing its collection of materials designed especially to assist them to keep reading and learning. Surrey Libraries has 7254 large print books and CNIB Daisy Player Disks, and more than 9300 audio books. The Library also has over 230-thousand downloadable Centre for Equitable Library Access books, magazines and described videos in a choice of formats for people with a print disability.

3 Canadian Literacy and Learning Network, January 2012.

OUTREACH TO VULNERABLE CITIZENS

Surrey Libraries launched a special outreach program to organizations helping the city’s especially vulnerable citizens in 2011. Five years later, that program reaches thousands of Surrey residents who are clients of the Surrey Food Bank and the city’s soup kitchens, shelters, addiction programs, transition houses, the pretrial centre, and other programs. Library outreach provides not only books and other materials, but important services that address specific needs. This outreach can be life-changing.

“Wow. It’s so good you can get us library cards. All of our ID is at my ex’s house and we can’t go back. But I have wanted to take the kids to storytime, and I thought we weren’t allowed to join unless we had library cards.”

—Women’s shelter resident

Our branches are places where everyone is welcome, regardless of age, background, or socio-economic standing. Surrey Libraries is particularly active in promoting literacy amongst vulnerable groups in our community — especially residents with low income and disabilities — by providing free access to materials and services.

URBAN MISSION

FOOD BANK

2866 LOW INCOME & VULNERABLE PEOPLE HELPED IN 2015

SHELTER


LIBRARIES ARE AGENTS OF INCLUSION AND EQUITY

SHARON ROWE, Author of The Big Bessie Stories Sharon Rowe is a long-time participant in our Stories For People With Developmental Disabilities.

“The Library’s programs opened up a world of creativity and positivity for Sharon. Through them, her usage of sign language and ability to communicate improved enormously.”

—Ariadne Sawyer, Sharon’s Caregiver

2016 marks the fifth anniversary of Stories For People With Developmental Disabilities, a special literacy program sparked by the passion of library technician Linda Jones. Over the past five years, this program has helped thousands of people to learn important skills like sign language which improve their

communication, and to engage with books and educationally enriching activities. Jones says it “makes the Library a positive and welcoming place for people facing a great amount of prejudice in society. It’s empowering.”

“It was always my dream to create a book. The Library and its special storytime were key for me realizing that dream. I had the chance to test my writing with an audience, and to get feedback on my stories. I’m so proud to have now published The Big Bessie Stories, and I am currently doing workshops to help others find their creative voice.”

STORIES FOR PEOPLE WITH DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES

UPmorethan800%!

20152011 318

2882

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS


KEY FACTS

Number of Surrey Libraries active cardholders 161,131

Number of in-person visits last year 2,466,250

Average number of visits per day 7,107

Number of information questions answered 411,320

Number of items borrowed 4,174,284

Number of participants in kids & teen programs 153,436

Number of kids registered in Summer Reading Club 15,275

Number of participants in computer literacy classes 5,614

e-Book and e-Magazine checkouts 287,968

Visits to Surrey Libraries website 1,227,532*

*This is a newly calculated figure using improved technical data from previous reports.

BRANCHES

City Centre Library 10350 University Drive Surrey, BC V3T 4B8

Cloverdale 5642 – 176A Street Surrey, BC V3S 4G9

Fleetwood 15996 – 84th Avenue Surrey, BC V4N 0W1

Guildford 15105 – 105th Avenue Surrey, BC V3R 7G8

Newton 13795 – 70th Avenue Surrey, BC V3W 0E1

Ocean Park 12854 – 17th Avenue Surrey, BC V4A 1T5

Port Kells 18885 – 88th Avenue Surrey, BC V4N 3G5

Semiahmoo 1815 – 152nd Street Surrey, BC V4A 9Y9

Strawberry Hill 7399 – 122nd Street Surrey, BC V3W 5J2

There’s a world of knowledge at Surrey Libraries.

www.surreylibraries.ca

It Takes a LIBRARY to Raise a COMMUNITY Surrey residents visited the Library nearly 2.5 MILLION times last year.

The average visitor to the Library stays for nearly an hour, and MORE THAN 30% stay for MORE THAN ONE HOUR.

The Library worked with MORE THAN 70 COMMUNITY PARTNERS last year to provide programming meeting the widest range of needs and interests.

More than 170-THOUSAND KIDS AND ADULTS participated in programs to enrich their learning and literacy at Surrey Libraries in 2015.

FOR EVERY DOLLAR in public funding which Surrey Libraries receives, it provides about $7 IN VALUE to patrons.

literacy day report 2016 - surrey libraries more ways than simply reading and writing. ... 3 the...

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