MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY - County council has been given an update on the activities and plans of Olds Municipal Library, which serves a total population base of 12,402, including 3,218 from the county.
Manager Lesley Winfield said the COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on the library over the past year.
“It was a crazy year for us and a lot different than previous years, as with everybody else,” said Winfield. “We’ve had an exciting year.
"We really appreciate Mountain View County's support over the past couple of years, and specifically the extra support you have given us through the COVID relief and supporting our community engagement site and the regular funding you give us."
The library was open for 2,132 hours in 2020, with 29,241 people of all ages visiting the facility, located at 5217 - 52nd Street.
The library currently has 2,151 library card holders. It added 1,885 new items, including 1,594 printed items, to its collection in 2020, bringing the total collection to 37,464.
There were 8,852 downloads of e-content, contributing to a total of 71,020 total checkouts. There were more than 35,000 visits to the library’s website.
The inter-library loan system was very active in 2020, with 14,595 items lent to outside libraries and 21,013 items brought in from outside libraries.
The library’s 27 public computers saw 6,290 hours used in 2020. There were 21,729 connections to the library’s Wi-Fi.
The facility's 22 volunteers, including board members, contributed 304 hours last year.
The library offered 184 programs for children and youth, as well as 64 for adults and seniors. In all, 7,794 people attended programs.
She explained that the library plans to continue to pursue a number of strategic plans:
• Creating young readers by giving parents access to programs, materials, service and experiences that, “allow them to foster early literacy skills in their children," facilitating support networks for parents, and providing programs, materials, services and experiences that, “foster a love of reading and prepare them to enter school.”
• Satisfy curiosity through programs, materials, services and experiences for youths aged 6-17 and for adults.
• Celebrate diversity through programs and services that, “promote appreciation and understanding of their personal diversity and the diversity of others in the community.”
A staff training program held during the pandemic is instruction on using computers and other equipment used at the library, she said.
“It was a great opportunity for us to do that,” she said. “Most of our staff have gone through the entire training program.”
Three new members have joined the board in 2021, she said.
Coun. Dwayne Fulton commended the staff for their efforts during the pandemic.
Reeve Bruce Beattie said the sharing of resources by libraries is a great system.
“Clearly libraries are still a major force in our communities,” said Beattie.
Council passed a motion accepting Winfield’s report as information.
