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West Vancouver Memorial Library - Summer 2008 - Issue 7 The Inquiring Mind From the Director of Library Services Ann Goodhart From the Director of Library Services Ann Goodhart Times are changing - especially for libraries. The last few years have seen major changes in the way people gather information and learn. More information is available, more quickly, than ever before in history. To help manage the different environment and provide you with the best possible service, we are making some changes. Having said that, changes to the library are nothing new. Since the Library was first opened in 1950, there have been many renovations and additions to accommodate new collections and new uses. The current layout of our collections and deployment of our staff no longer matches how the library is used. To better meet the needs of our community now and into the future, we are about to rearrange collections, furniture, functions, and the staff. This includes a new technology called RFID for circulating books and other material. RFID will make checking material in and out faster, and more efficient. Another area of improvement will be Internet access. Only 12 years ago, the Internet was a new service. Today, libraries are important providers of free public Internet access. Back then, many of our resources were only available in print. Today, the library catalogue is available online every day of the week, 24 hours a day. It is easily accessible from home as are many of our information resources. The Internet does not mean the demand for books and comfortable spaces for reading, study, and meeting has not declined - it has increased. Our programs are often standing room only. Our Computer Centre is very busy but it is only available two hours a day. During the next 12 months we will rearrange the library to create a larger space for concerts and programs. We will move reference material up to the main floor. We will amalgamate Information Services and put them closer to the front door. We will create a public computing centre that is open every hour the Library is open. These changes grow out of our Strategic Plan 2006-2010 which can be seen on our website at www.westvanlibrary.ca. They are designed to make better use of our building, to allow us operate more efficiently, and to improve services or provide new services you have requested. www.westvanlibrary.ca tel. 604.925.7400 1950 Marine Drive, West Vancouver, BC, V7V 1J8