HomeAbout the Library
About the Library
May 12 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Nick Adey (NA), Chris Armstrong (CA), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Brendan Turner (BT), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ, Chief Librarian)
Regrets: n/a
Meeting commenced at 7:01pm
- Motion to remove April Circulation report from Consent Agenda to Discussion Agenda and accept the remaining items on the Consent Agenda as they are by NA, seconded by BT. Passed
- Discussion about the circulation report. Trustees wish the monthly circulation be altered to show an additional year of data to see whether long term trends are evident as 2020 data does not represent a 'normal' year. This will be started in June 2021. 2019 will be on the stats report as well.
- JZ gave May update.
- The Library received a significant donation in April (actually deposited in May) that will be used to improve either collections or programming or both.
- Vermin (mice) infestation in Library basement dealt with in April.
- First evening openings since COVID shutdown of March 2020 occurred on May 5, 2021. We opened to the public until 7pm in order to provide more access to public.
- 100th Anniversary of Prince Rupert Public Library committee formed from Library staff, Library Board and Friends of the PR Library. Meetings will commence shortly.
- We began working on a "Cognitive Kits" project with Northern Health. We will be circulating various boxes of cognitive aids meant to re-invigorate brain activity.
April 14 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Chris Armstrong (CA), Cary Dalton (CD), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Brendan Turner (BT), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ, Chief Librarian)
Regrets: Carolina de Ryk (CdR)
Meeting commenced at 7:02pm
- Motion by BT, seconded by CD to accept consent agenda as is, passed.
- Discussion about status of Library. We have been open to the public since April 6, the first business day after the Easter break. Patrons are pleased and staff is doing well dealing with people with the COVID protocols.
- Discussion about Library's Positive COVID-19 test policy. Board is reviewing the policy.
- Discussion about how to approach the development of policies/procedures for potential violent altercations in libraries, this topic's relevance became clear after the stabbing incident in North Vancouver District Public Library in March 2021.
- Discussion about next year's Library centennial anniversary. PRL will be one hundred years old on March 27, 2022. JZ will organize a Trustee/Staff committee to develop an appropriate celebration.
- Two Board committees will be meeting virtually later in April and in early May. While each
committee consists only a few trustees, other trustees are welcome to these Zoom meetings if
they wish to:
- The Strategic Planning committee will be meeting on April 22 at 7pm
- The fundraising/grant-writing committee will be meeting on May 6 at 7pm
Meeting Adjourned at 8:15 pm. Next full Board Meeting at 7pm May 12, 2021.
March 10 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Chris Armstrong (CA), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Dale White (DW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: Andrea Wilmot (AW), Cary Dalton (CD)
Meeting commenced at 7:10pm
- Minutes of February 10, 2021 PRL Board meeting passed, motion by CK, seconded by SL, Passed
- Discussion of present state of Library Services. We are presently closed to the public, but providing services to the Library patrons at the door. We are doing 'curbside pick-up', ILL services commencing March 12. Revised document services and public computer access to begin during week of March 15 to 19. Library management will review service level on March 19, but due to the high COVID-19 infection rate it is unlikely that the Library doors will be fully open until end of March.
- Discussion of wording in PRL "COVID-19 Positive Test" policy. There is a statement in the policy "...all staff members to go home and self-isolate until further notified". This statement is seen by some staff as outside the Board's authority and non-enforceable. The Board is reconsidering the wording in the policy. The Board was attempting to provide support for Library staff by letting everyone know that staff would not have to work in a unsafe workplace and that it was asking staff to 'not report to work' until notified to return by management. The Policy wording will be revised by JZ, and presented to the Board for approval.
Motion to adjourn (CdR) at 8:05 pm
Next Meeting at 7pm (April 14, 2021)
January 21 2021 Special Board Meeting Minutes
Special Library Board Meeting
Present: Cary Dalton (CD), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Brendan Turner (BT), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: Nick Adey (NA), Carolina de Ryk (CdR)
Meeting commenced at 7:01pm
The purpose of this meeting was to finalize the Prince Rupert Public Library "Positive COVID-19 test policy". There was discussion about the matter and finally a motion by BT, seconded by CD 'that the Positive COVID-19 test policy be accepted'. Passed.
As well as about questions regarding COVID-19 specifically about 'requirement of negative COVID-19 tests for return to work' and 'self-isolation of staff member if spouse is required to self-isolate. Both questions were answered through the BC CDC website and the answers as well as the references are printed in our COVID-19 Safety manual.
Motion to adjourn @ 7:45 pm
January 13 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Nick Adey (NA), Cary Dalton (CD), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Brendan Turner (BT), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: n/a
Meeting commenced at 7:02pm
- Motion to accept the Consent Agenda DW, seconded by NA; Passed
- Addition to Discussion Agenda: Tentative PRL Positive COVID-19 policy and idea about iPads in the Children's area
- Introduction to new trustee, Welcome Brendan Turner to the PR Library Board!
- Notice of Resignation of trustee Glenn Groulx.
- Discussion of proposed 2021 Library Board meeting schedule. JZ will revise schedule as per Board's direction and resubmit it for approval in February meeting.
- JZ will commence process of finding a new trustee.
- BT will join the Strategic Planning committee
- Discussion about December 2020 Library activities:
- JZ and staff completed two grant applications in December (1. A Federal Early Learning and Childcare Innovation grant and 2. Barber Learning Centre Digitization grant for the completion of purchase of all images up to the newspaper's cessation in 2010)
- Various maintenance issues with building in December (blocked drain and rusted partitions in men's bathroom, broken faucet in janitor's room, broken boiler backflow-preventer, gutter downspout blockage, and various battery failures)
- Discussion about proposed "PRL Positive COVID-19 test" policy.
February 10 2021 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Nick Adey (NA), Chris Armstrong (CA), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Brendan Turner (BT), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: n/a
Meeting commenced at 7:03pm
- Introduction of new PRL trustee Chris Armstrong.
- Motion to accept consent agenda and matters listed under Consent agenda by SL, seconded by AW, passed.
- Amended Discussion Agenda to include two items,
- Inform new trustees of the various sub-committees and setting a date for next Fundraising/Grantwriting sub-Cmte meeting
- Outdoor bench idea
- Discussion about matters in Discussion agenda:
- JZ updated trustees about Library matters in January. The Library has completed another grant application for 2021's Summer Reading Club program. We'll find out in a month or two. JZ will be adjudicating some of the non-BC Library SRC applications.
- The Library's ReOpening working group met to discuss the possibility of eliminating the 24-hr quarantine of returned items, but ultimately decided not to change this process during this recent rise of COVID infections within our community.
Friends of the Prince Rupert Public Library (FoPRPL)
About us:
We are a volunteer, nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization. We raise funds for library resources/materials, programs and other needs not supplied by the normal operational budget.
Our purpose is to make the public aware of Friends of the Library and the services we perform in providing for all our library users.
Current Executive:
Chair: Vacant
Treasurer: Laura Esposito
Director/Secretary: Patricia Banighen
Director: Marcus Hausner
Director: Chelsea Keays
Director: Leslee Bruce
Director: Evelyn Vogel
Member Benefits:
When you become a member of the Friends of the Library you will:
- Enjoy a library that is better because of your volunteering and fundraising efforts.
- Improve our community culture as a result of a great library.
- Enjoy the pride that comes from knowing that you are helping to spread the joy of reading and love of culture.
- Have an opportunity to meet new people and create new alliances within our community.
- Be invited to library special events.
Volunteer Opportunity:
Volunteers are very important to the success of the Prince Rupert Public Library. We are a diverse group of people sharing a common goal to provide support to our public library. Would you like to join the Friends of the Library?
- Enquire at the Front Desk at the Library
- Call: 250-627-1345
- Send us an email: circulation@princerupertlibrary.ca.
November 18 2020 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Nick Adey (NA), Cary Dalton (CD), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Glenn Groulx (GG), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: Glenn Groulx (GG)
Meeting commenced at 7:04pm
- Motion by CD, seconded by CK to accept the Consent agenda, passed.
- Discussion about Library staff doing more virtual programming for childrens’ programs.
- Discussion about whether zoom meeting hosting by the Library would help our MPR group users. Library staff/Board will continue talking about this to see what patron demands we can meet in this matter. Can the Library start an online conversation with community groups todetermine the various groups needs/demands? We will form a working group to follow through on this. As part of this group we could include a focus group for childrens’ virtual programming. As well online fundraising opportunities can be explored.
- Discussion about the two Library repository projects, our preexisting Turning the pages and our new North Coast Reference repository that we started this summer/fall. Library staff will investigate what type of usage stats we can obtain from Turning the Pages, as well the Library will be writing a grant for the purchase of new computing equipment and scanned images of the remaining years of the Prince Rupert Daily news before mid-December.
- Discussion about procedure for our two expiring trustees to be re-appointed by City.
- Discussion about resuming our Strategic Plan work.
November 18 2020 Board Meeting Minutes
Library Board Meeting
Present: Nick Adey (NA), Cary Dalton (CD), Carolina de Ryk (CdR), Chelsea Keays (CK), Stephanie Lysyk (SL), Dale White (DW), Andrea Wilmot (AW), Joe Zelwietro (JZ-Chief Librarian)
Regrets: Glenn Groulx (GG)
Meeting commenced at 7:06pm
- Discussion Agenda amended to include the following matters:
- Does Library have role in supporting COVID-19 home schoolers?
- Does JZ have any succession plans for potential library staff retirees?
- JZ give details to PRL trustees about upcoming NWLF-wide Library trustees zoom meeting.
- Motion to approve Consent agenda as is and the Discussion agenda as amended by NA, seconded by CdR, passed.
- 2021 Budget discussion. There were concerns about the impact of COVID-19 for both 2020 and 2021. The Board recognizes that Library self-generated revenues were significantly reduced in 2020 and may again be in 2021. It was also recognized that the Board has to meet contractual obligations based on collective agreement as well as other increased costs. The consensus was to submit a budget request which meets the requirements and recognize that it may change depending upon the decision of City council.
- Discussion about Library levels of openness. The Board understands the concerns around COVID-19 risks and appreciates the staff work done to get Phase 3 of it’s ReOpening. The Board also hears the concerns of the public and supports greater levels of Library service provision in the near term.
- Discussion about tentative Positive COVID-19 test policy. Trustees have concern about the role of the Library management in regards to Contact tracing.
2020-21 Holiday Hours
| Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 1 | 2 |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Open 10am - 4:30pm | Open 1pm - 4:30pm | Open 10am - 12:30pm | Closed |
Happy Holidays! Please take note of our holiday hours of operation:
Wednesday December 23rd OPEN 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday December 24th (Christmas Eve) OPEN 10am - 12:30pm
Friday December 25th (Christmas Day) Closed
Saturday December 26th (Boxing Day) Closed
Sunday December 27th (Sunday*) Closed
Monday December 28th (Holiday in lieu of Boxing Day) Closed
Accessibility at Your Library
The Prince Rupert Library is part of the Prince Rupert and Area Accessibility Committee, working to improve inclusion across our community.
Read our 2024 Accessibility Plan (PDF) to learn more about what's planned for the Library and beyond.
Visit our Accessibility Services page to explore available services and supports.