Our Values

Core values for us at North Vancouver District Public Library are accessibility, diversity and sustainability.

Accessibility

Collections and Services

Our Home Library Service is available to residents of the District of North Vancouver who are unable to get to the Library because of a physical disability. The Home Library Service librarian can choose a selection of large print or regular print books and audiovisual materials based on your interests or you can request specific titles. Deliveries are scheduled for Wednesday or Thursday afternoons. The Library also schedules monthly Library Afternoons on Wednesdays and Thursdays to bring books to home-bound residents at some District of North Vancouver housing complexes.

The Talking Books collection is available for those who are unable to handle or read print books because of a visual, physical or perceptual disability. The member libraries of InterLINK, including NVDPL, loan taped books and books on disc (DAISY and MP3) free of charge to eligible borrowers.

The Large Print collection is available to any library patron. All three branches maintain a Large Print collection of popular reading, classics and non-fiction.

Adaptive Equipment

Large screen computers are available at each of our three libraries for searching the library catalogue and the Internet. Some have adjustable height tables. The text size of the other public computers with smaller screens can be enlarged to a lesser extent.

Each library has a large desktop electronic magnifier for reading newspapers, personal documents, or other small text.  Each library also has a hand-held electronic magnifier available at the Information Desk.

Home Library Service and our Talking Books collection loan out cassette players and DAISY readers to those with print disabilities free of charge on a temporary basis.

Wheelchair Access

All three of our libraries are wheelchair accessible with automatic door openers for main entrances and washrooms.  At each location one self-checkout machine is at a lower height and some computers sit on adjustable height tables.

Diversity

Our Library welcomes newcomers of all ages.

Employees of the Library can help people with where to vote, how to apply for various government programs, introduce their children to Canadian culture through rhymes, songs and stories at storytimes, assistance in learning English, how to apply for citizenship, and how to look for jobs.

In addition to the everyday activities librarians help out with, there is an extensive collection for newcomers of all ages which accommodates diversity.

Collections in Multiple Languages

  • Bilingual children’s collections (Books in English and a home language) of over 1,000 titles in 30 different languages
  • In the adult collection there are substantial Farsi (200 plus) and Chinese language materials
  • DVDs and Video in foreign languages

Community Outreach

  • Our children’s librarians visit Strong Start Centres, preschools and daycare, health clinics, kindergartens and classrooms to tell parents and children about the services available to them at their public library.
  • The Library provides a mobile library service to Seniors residences and individual homes who cannot get out.
  • Immigrant PALS - our Library is a founding community partner in the North Shore Persian immigrant PALS (Parents as Literacy Support) program.
  • We support international and ELL students through extensive book and language collections and English language learning resources from CDs to DVDs.
  • We apply for grants and host "Book Buddies" – a language and literacy mentoring program for new immigrants and language learners from Kindergarten to Grade 7.

First Nations Programs at Parkgate and Capilano Libraries

  • Our Parkgate Library delivers a programme twice a month at the Child and Family Centre, for both native and non-native children from birth to five years old.
  • Capilano’s children’s librarian does monthly storytimes for Xwenelch'stn First Nations.
  • Children’s librarians sit on several community boards and committees to promote literacy initiatives to First Nations and immigrant populations with such partners as Impact North Shore, North Vancouver School Board, Early Childhood Network, District Literacy providers, and health care workers.

Sustainability

As a library, we are sustainable by nature! Just by borrowing a book from the Library or purchasing a gently used book from one of our book sales, you are doing the environment a favour. Feel good about borrowing!

Our Sustainability Success Stories

Here are a few of North Vancouver District Public Library's sustainability success stories:

  • Our Lynn Valley Library has been officially certified LEED® Silver for New Construction.
  • Our Capilano Library has undergone a seismic upgrade and has been officially certified LEED® for Existing Buildings Operations and Maintenance.
  • The Library has an active Green Team that spearheads sustainability initiatives for the Library.
  • Through increased signage for recycling bins, a “get rid of it responsibly” campaign to recycle plastics not accepted in blue bins, and regular waste audits to monitor recycling levels, the Library was able to divert 83 per cent of its waste from the landfill in 2013 (up from 67 per cent in 2011).
  • We operate our facilities using more sustainable and energy efficient practices, and we clean our buildings with green products.
  • In 2014, the Library began composting in all branch staff lunch rooms.

NVDPL Green Team

The Green Team brings together staff members who are passionate about reducing the Library’s ecological footprint. The Green Team organizes Earth Day and Earth Hour celebrations, staff recycling initiatives, sustainability awareness campaigns and much more!

The Green Team's motto is "sustainable is attainable!"  You can recognize Green Team initiatives in the Library when you see the Green Team's logo:

Playing an Active Role in the Bigger Picture

The actions of the Library are aligned with the District of North Vancouver’s vision for a sustainable future.

Whether you are looking for local recycling information, or researching global climate change, ask one of our helpful staff in the Library.