Chair's Message

The Edmonton Public Library Board has had a successful and challenging year. As always, trustees recognize the value of libraries in our community, and one of our most important roles is to advocate for libraries. We continually work with the City of Edmonton and the Province of Alberta's elected and non-elected officials to ensure they know the contribution of the Library to the continued well-being and growth of our community. The Board is committed to finding innovative ways to deal with the challenges facing libraries, and we continue our work in developing partnerships with all levels of government, business and community groups. We also work with other libraries on provincial projects, including The Alberta Library and Alberta Public Library Electronic Network and advocacy for increased provincial funding for libraries.

In addition to our role as advocates, the Board has worked with talented library staff to develop and implement a successful fundraising campaign that saw renovations to the Stanley A. Milner Library and three new branches in Edmonton in the past four years, culminating with the opening of the Riverbend branch in early 2000. Support from the community was tremendous, and we will be continuing with our fundraising initiatives for further upgrading and renovation projects.

I was honored to serve my term as a volunteer and trustee on the Library Board, and to work with a dedicated Director and staff at EPL. I am certain that with the assistance of talented staff, the foundations laid by the Board in partnerships, advocacy, and fund development will see continued excellence in library service to all Edmontonians.

Rose - Marie Cassis, Chair

Edmonton Public Library Board of Trustees, 2000

Director's Message

What a year! The Library's on-going focus on increased access to information was realized in so many ways during 2000.

The Technology Plan was implemented to reflect an emphasis on customer service in providing effective, functioning, and user-friendly hardware and software to connect people to sources of information. Support from Industry Canada and Gates Foundation meant that we were able to implement our plans sooner than planned. The fibre optic network was put in place at all 16 library locations, resulting in quicker response times on computers for both staff and customers. In addition, each branch and division enjoyed an average of a 200 per cent increase in the number of computers available for public and administrative use.

We also ensured that library buildings provided an attractive and comfortable environment for customers and staff. Riverbend branch was opened in May, after two years of planning, advocacy and fund-raising. The Children's Library, Capilano and Calder branches were expanded and renovated. In addition, major work was undertaken on the second floor of the Stanley A. Milner Library to streamline work for staff and provide efficient access to the public.

As always, none of these advances would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our loyal staff. My endeavors to provide the Library with a strong and credible profile with city administrators, politicians, business, and community groups, was made a lot easier with the support and participation of staff and trustees. We are a strong team and together we can meet the challenges we will no doubt encounter in the coming year.

Linda C. Cook

Director of Libraries

2000 Annual Report Highlights

Quality Environment

• Riverbend branch, opened on May 18 with Scottish pipes and Chinese lion dances, was attended by over 200 people in the community.
• Capilano branch was renovated and expanded, gaining 2,000 square feet of space and a comfortable reading area with a fireplace.
• The Children's Library in the Stanley A. Milner Library re-opened on June 17, after re-location and renovations, in time for the launch of the Summer Reading Program.
• Calder branch held an open house on June 26, after renovations and expansion, adding 1,200 square feet or 50 per cent more public space.
• Idylwylde branch received a $10,000 accessibility grant from the city and installed automatic doors to facilitate access for seniors and people in wheelchairs.
• Interior renovations on the second floor of the Stanley A. Milner Library were completed at year end, adding a new Heritage Room, a Smart Search office, the Investor Education Centre, a revamped reference desk and Internet centre to facilitate service delivery. Renovations provided convenient access to business, consumer, and government information collections and opened up back issues of periodicals to enhance customer service.
• An additional 16 public web stations were installed, bringing the total number to 91.
• 200 pieces of computer station furniture were added and services to support them put in place, readying for major implementation of electronic access in 2001.

2000 Board of Trustees

Ms. Rose-Marie Cassis, Chair
Prof. Marco L. Adria, Vice-Chair
Prof. Don Carmichael, Past-Chair
Mr. Tajesh (TJ) Adhihetty
Ms. Ann Dea (from April, 2000)
Mr. Jason Ding
Ms. Alison Faid
Ms. Dawn Fargey
Mr. Jim Lavers (to March, 2000)
Councillor Brian Mason (to June, 2000)
Councillor Jim Taylor (from September, 2000)
Ms. Michele L. Toma (to October, 2000)

New Trustees in 2001

Mr. Nashir Karmali
Mr. Austin Mardon
Mr. Douglas Meggison

Innovations

• To help teachers and students use library resources to their best advantage, EPL developed an online Assignment Alert service, accessible from the Library's web site and at service points. This service won a Smart City award in early 2001.
• EPL was one of the beta test sites for Canadian Encyclopedia Online, developed by Netcentric in Edmonton. Customers were invited to test the product for stability and usability before the product was released.
• Harry Potter Week during spring break was attended by hundreds of delighted children and parents.
• Capilano branch offered a venue for children's birthday parties and helped parents plan an unusual and enriching event for their children.
• With a grant from the Alberta Securities Commission and the Alberta Capital Market Foundation to the Investor Learning Centre of Canada, preparation was made to host Canada's first investor education centre in a public library, to open in early 2001 at the Stanley A. Milner Library. This will be a prototype for other libraries, providing essential information, telephone and on-line links to the Investor Learning Centre.
• A major computer network upgrade was completed, dramatically speeding up response time between branches and the Milner Library.

Enhanced Presence on the Web

• “Remotely Yours” was a campaign to promote 21 licensed on-line products now available remotely from home, school, and office.
• Enhanced customer service available from the web included on-line “consider for purchase”, interlibrary loan for books, articles, and micro-formats, and place-a-hold on books on order.
• New features on the web included Infofile, Song Index, Pathfinders, and direct links to web sites selected by staff.
• Booklists published by EPL have dynamic links to the Library's on-line catalogue.
• Library program listings on the web can be searched by location, date, and title.
• CKUA Radio Network established a “buy or borrow” link to the EPL web site.
• Interactive web pages developed specifically for the Summer Reading Program were used 10,000 times during the program.

Cooperation

• EPL coordinated a province-wide Summer Reading Program, “Mission 2000: Bugs in Space”, with participation by over 150 public libraries in Alberta. In Edmonton, 13,527 children collectively read 4,023,180 minutes (67,053 hours) during the summer.
• With cooperation from area schools, EPL's Card for Every Kid campaign reached 5,135 grade four students who visited their neighbourhood library and 2,447 students took out library cards as a result of this campaign.
• EPL staff took part in organizing the Canadian Library Association conference in Edmonton (June 21 -25) that was attended by 1,200 delegates from across Canada, US and the UK.
• Stanley A. Milner and Woodcroft libraries were the venues for a province-wide, multi-media awareness campaign, “Libraries: Your Complete Information Solution”, coordinated by The Alberta Library and presented in November 2000 to February 2001, with advertising in dailies and weeklies, billboards and selected television programs.
• EPL continued to work with Fort Saskatchewan, St. Albert, and County of Strathcona libraries to offer daily delivery of library materials among metro area libraries for better customer service.
• Reciprocal membership is offered to members of many libraries in Alberta, helping reciprocal members save money and providing them with borrowing privileges for books and audio visual materials as well as enhanced Internet services offered by EPL.

Partnerships

• EPL cooperated with the Congress of Black Women of Canada (Edmonton Chapter) to present Black Book Odyssey 2000 on February 11, to celebrate Black History Month.
• EPL hosted a panel discussion and sponsored an art exhibit titled “Grimoires” at Audreys Books, in conjunction with other groups, to celebrate Freedom to Read Week in Edmonton (February 27 – March 4).
• On April 11, EPL presented a well-attended seminar, “Investigate Before You Invest”, in conjunction with the Investor Learning Centre and Alberta Securities Commission, to celebrate Investor Education Week (April 10 – 14).
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Microsoft Canada donated $1.8 million to help libraries in Alberta expand public access to the Internet. EPL received 54 computers and related peripherals under this program.
• EPL received a grant from the federal government's Urban Community Access Program to provide the public with convenient and affordable access to the Internet.
• Calder and Castle Downs branches presented “Computer Basics” workshops throughout the year with the help of Edmonton Community Network.
• The City's Green Shack program received 500 books on loan from the Library's Penny McKee - Abbottsfield, Highlands and other north side branches for use in programs on 16 playgrounds in the city's north end during the summer.
• Edmonton Transit provided free shuttle service between the Book Sale held in the Library Parkade downtown and The Word is Out Book Fair, held in the Arts Barns in Old Strathcona.
• Read In 2000 (October 1 – 7), to promote literacy, was organized by the Library, educational and business partners, including Shaw Communications, Concerned Children's Advertisers, and Media Awareness Network.
• Working with Catholic Social Services of Edmonton, Milner and Mill Woods libraries hosted English conversation classes for immigrants and new Canadians.
• The Stanley A. Milner Library was the host venue to launch the video and magazine produced by the Canadian Armed Forces (Western Region), “Train for War, Strive for Peace” on October 12.

Library Services Highlights

• 4,123,705 visits were made to the Library's 16 locations.
• 750,128 visits were made to the EPL web site.
• 7,243,960 items were borrowed.
• 1,515,474 questions were answered.
• 142,287 people attended 4,141 public programs.
• 561,602 searches and 202,490 requests were made on the Library's on-line catalogue.
• 91,768 adult and children books, 87,575 paperbacks, 32,947 AV materials, 38,443 periodicals, and 3,644 government documents were added to the collections.
• 3,148 volunteer hours were donated to provide library access service to customers who were unable to use the Library's traditional services and materials, with 76 new customers signing up for home-bound service, doubling last year's enrolment.
• 4,900 job applications were processed and 1,039 training sessions provided for staff, ranging from customer service, reference work, and communications, peaking with 200 employees taking electronic technology training in the latter quarter of the year.

Community Relations and fundraising

• Bookstock 2000 was launched in May to solicit cash donations to buy books, paperbacks, and videos for each local collection.
• With the help of over 100 fundraising volunteers, the Library's Fringe Paperback Sale (August) and the Fall Book Sale (September) raised $50,000. Edmonton Journal and CBC Radio were media sponsors.
• The first ever Carnival Ex Libris, an annual fundraising gala, attended by over 200 participants, was held on November 4 at the Westin Hotel with the help of 50 fundraising volunteers. Sponsors included Chieftain International, Inc., CKUA Network, Edmonton Journal, Global TV, and Wild Cards Advertising.
• The Library received support from the Edmonton Community Lottery Board to help renovate the Milner Library and enhance its audio visual collections.
• Alberta Community Facility Enhancement Program supported the Library to build the Riverbend branch and help renovate the Milner Library.
• Alberta Public Library Electronic Network (APLEN) provided grants to upgrade and add new computers and provide training for staff to enhance customer access to electronic services.
• A multi-media advertising campaign with the theme “Knowledge Comes in Many Flavours” was presented during the year, with advertisements in dailies, weeklies, posters and on television.
• EPL participated in 20 major outreach events such as the Greater Edmonton Teachers Convention, Home and Garden Show, Edmonton Woman's Show, Technology for Success Trade Show, Seniors Fair, Literacy Promotions, reinforcing the theme of the advertising campaign and promoting the Library to more than 100,000 people.

Statement of Revenue and Expense

For the year ended December 31, 2000 with comparative figures for 1999

Collections and Services