DIDSBURY – The town library is well past due for expansion. That was obvious when it was deemed necessary to put wheels on some of the bookshelves in order to be able to move them around to accommodate groups and meetings.
With the Town of Didsbury announcing it is looking to relocate the town office, the library will be able to take over the vacated space allowing for expansion.
The Didsbury town library is more than 100 years old and has been in need of an expansion for some time as demand continues to grow.
“The recent announcement to essentially double the size of the Didsbury Municipal Library will ensure that the already long-standing legacy of library services and programs within the community will continue well into the future,” said the Didsbury library board in a press release.
Didsbury councillors and business people from around town established the library in 1908. The Didsbury Free Library was the first town library in Alberta to earn a grant under the Public Libraries Act in 1909.
The library was originally part of the school back then. The annual report of 1910 showed that Mrs. Long was paid $5 for three months' service as librarian. In the 1940s the library moved to a room above what is now JD's Restaurant.
In 1946 the library moved into the Westerdale Building across from what is now the post office. In 1974 the library moved once again, this time to what is now the Green Bamboo Restaurant.
In 1985, the library board began discussing the options of renovating or building a new facility. The library board raised and saved enough money to contribute to the construction of a much-needed larger facility, which they remain in to this day.
The library moved to its current location in 1987.
“Over the last 10 years, as eBooks and downloadable library media have been introduced, Didsbury residents have adopted those new technologies, while continuing to check out more and more physical library materials,” said library board vice-chair Carolyn Massel.
“We have modified and adapted to be as flexible as we could over the last several years, but we can squeeze no more out of this space,” she said.
“We can no longer provide the quiet spaces and meeting places that are often needed by our citizens,” she said.
Massel said that the new, larger space will allow the library to keep up with an increased demand for library services. “The new library will be an engaging, innovative place that encourages lifelong learning and provides opportunities for everyone,” she said. “The library board, staff and volunteers, are all overjoyed to see our long-standing continuous support and relationship with the Town of Didsbury strengthen and evolve to meet the diverse needs of our community.”
The Town of Didsbury anticipates extensive renovations on the library to begin in mid-2017, and for the new library facility to open to the public in early 2018.
Didsbury residents have adopted those new technologies, while continuing to check out more and more physical library materials." Carolyn Masselsaid library board vice-chair
