Press Releases

Richmond, BC – Richmond Public Library is proud to announce the opening of our new Early Literacy Corner at the Brighouse library. In the Children’s area on the main floor, this space offers interactive and tactile wall-mounted activities that encourage learning through active and imaginative play, while offering a warm and friendly environment to play in and explore.

Play is an important part of child development as it helps strengthen neural connections, the paths in the brain that we use for thinking. Play also encourages children to develop their creativity and language skills. “The new Early Literacy Corner at Brighouse can help make play part of your family’s daily routine,” says Kate Adams, Head of Children and Family Services. “We are excited to launch this new space to provide not only engaging early learning opportunities, but also a gathering space for young children and their caregivers to enjoy and connect with other families.” Designed for children up to age 6, young learners will enjoy a mirror, magnet and felt boards and other wall-mounted activity toys that encourage fine motor skills and dexterity development.

Library cards are free to obtain, and RPL is proudly fine free, so parents are encouraged to sign up their children for their own library cards in order to have access to all of our resources. All of our library locations offer a variety of drop-in programs to inspire and build early literacy skills. Our storytime and babytime programs are offered multiple times throughout the week, including weekday mornings, evenings and weekends. Visit the library’s event’s calendar to learn more about our programs at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/events-calendar/. For helpful tips on how to encourage and incorporate play into your day at home with your family, visit https://www.yourlibrary.ca/importance-of-play.

Richmond, BC – The next installation for Richmond Public Library’s Community Art Wall provides a powerful and unique opportunity to recognize and celebrate vulnerable community members.

Throughout October, the Community Art Wall display at the Brighouse branch will showcase a dual exhibit highlighting the experience of homelessness and home, in recognition of Homelessness Action Week. One exhibit will be a 3D sculpture titled “Home is…”, presented by the Richmond Poverty Reduction Coalition (RPRC). The second exhibit, presented in partnership with Turning Point Recovery Society and Richmond Public Art, will showcase photos taken by visitors to the Richmond Drop-In Centre. The photos are taken through the lens of someone with the experience of homelessness and aim to capture what “home” means to each person. The photographs were created in response to the prompt: what is important in your life?

From October 1 to 12, community members can vote for their favourite photo by dropping a completed ballot in the ballot box, located at the second-floor information desk at the Brighouse branch. There are no rules, no criteria, and no restrictions on how to select your favourite… just choose the one that speaks to you and cast your ballot.

Once you’ve browsed all the entries and voted for your favourite, be sure to come back for the Celebrating Community: Ceremony and Poetry Workshop, happening on October 15 at 2:00pm at the Brighouse branch. Find out more at  https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/6334aaeb963175420011fb1b.The winners of the photo contest will be awarded a gift card to buy items to make their new home their own. The ceremony will also provide an opportunity for members of the public to engage with the photographs and consider what “home” means to them.

The Community Art Wall is a collaboration between Richmond Public Library and local amateur artists. We welcome Expressions of Interest from local community organizations and individuals. To apply to be featured on the Community Art Wall in an upcoming installation, visit https://www.yourlibrary.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Art-Wall-EOI-form.pdf.

Richmond, BC – Kids, did you read and track your progress with this year’s BC Summer Reading Club? With September just around the corner, Summer Reading Club is coming to an end and it’s time to recognize all of the successes and hard work of over 3,700 Richmond children who participated.

You don’t have to wait to come and get your medal; Summer Reading Club participants can now stop by any RPL branch to pick up their medal. But that’s not all!  Get ready to celebrate with us at our Summer Reading Finale on Sunday September 11 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm at the Brighouse branch. Join the Mayor and local dignitaries at this fun-filled for family-friendly event, which will feature an interactive dance party, a scavenger hunt and the RBC Training Ground, presented by our sponsor Richmond North RBC Community. Children can also receive their medals at the event if they have not already picked them up.

“BC Summer Reading Club is such a big part of the summer for so many Richmond kids, teens and their families, and we are thrilled to invite the community to come together at the annual Finale,” says Kate Adams, Head of Children & Family Services.  For more information or to register, visit https://www.yourlibrary.ca/srckids. We hope to see you there!

Richmond, BC – Richmond Public Library (RPL) is celebrating Pride Week with programs designed for all ages throughout the month of July.  Our intention is to delight, educate and create opportunities to look beyond gender stereotypes and encourage healthy and engaging conversations within our community.

“For the last two years, the library has proudly partnered with the Hamilton Community Centre to offer the popular Drag Queen Storytime”, says Jordan Oye, Richmond Public Library (RPL) Board Chair.  “RPL is committed to intellectual freedom, freedom of expression and advancing equity for all who live, work and play in Richmond.  Adopted by the Library Board in February 2019, our Diversity and Inclusion Statement highlights that libraries have a responsibility to support a culture that recognizes diversity and fosters social inclusion”.

In addition to the return of Drag Queen Storytime, the library is partnering with BLUSH to offer an educational workshop that teaches parents and caregivers practical strategies for supporting their LGBTQIA2S+ family members, as well as a writing workshop for teens led by a local YA author. There will also be storytimes featuring diverse families, film screenings and book club meet-ups for teens and adults.

“BLUSH is a youth-driven organization that provides sexual health education to high school students across the Greater Vancouver Area,” says Theo Micolino, Sexual Health Educator & Curriculum Developer at BLUSH. “At BLUSH, we believe that all education must be taught through a lens of inclusion and diversity so that it can include all members of our community.”

To find out more about the library’s Pride Week programs and to register, visit the library’s events calendar or call 604-231-6413.

Richmond, BC – Summer is almost here and we are ready to celebrate with you! Registration for Summer Reading @ RPL opens on June 15 at 10:00am. For all the details, visit https://www.yourlibrary.ca or call the library at 604-231-6413.

“I am excited about all that the library has to offer this summer,” said Jordan Oye, Richmond Public Library Board Chair. “I can’t wait to read this year’s community read, Mindful of Murder, and connect with people of all ages across Richmond. Whether you’re a regular library user, or haven’t visited for a while, now is a great time to stop by your local branch.”

New for 2022 is the Richmond Reads: Summer Reading Club. From July 1 – 31, the community is invited to read and talk about Mindful of Murder, a newly released, humorous mystery novel by award-winning BC author, Susan Juby, suitable for adults and teens. There will be a discussion group on Facebook, plenty of print and digital copies of the book available to borrow, in-person and virtual book chats and, remember to watch for clues posted on social media every week in July and be the first lucky person to find the book and keep it as a prize! The fun wraps up on July 27 with a can’t-miss online author event with Susan Juby herself! Register now to reserve your spot at https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/62a127ad316f8c4100f567aa.

Parents, help your child maintain and improve their reading skills over the summer by encouraging them to join Richmond Public Library’s annual Summer Reading Club, presented in partnership with BCLA. This year’s theme is All Together Now, celebrating community. Stop by any RPL branch to pick up a free reading booklet, or participate online at https://bcsrc.ca/. Participants choose their own reading goal and use the booklet to record their reading progress. Visit the library to collect weekly stickers or go online for your digital badges. The library is also offering weekly prize draws, a callout for book reviews for a chance to be published by the local paper, and free programs including an art club, science programs and kids book clubs.

Teens – there’s a Summer Reading Club just for youth aged 12-18. Write and post book reviews on the RPL Teen Blog for a chance to win book prizes. The library will also be hosting some fun programs including a chess club, a book club and a Smash Brothers Tournament. As always, budding teen artists can also submit their own artwork for a chance to be featured in next year’s Teen Summer Reading Club.

Check out the library’s website for a full listing of all programs being offered. We can’t wait to connect and read with you this summer!

Richmond, BC – The library, together with partners BC Parks and AdventureSmart, is introducing a unique one-of-a-kind collection of Hiking ExplorePACKS.  Richmond Public Library is the first library in BC to offer hiking kits for community members to borrow, free of charge.

Richmond offers many kilometres of vast natural trails, parks and pathways to explore. The ExplorePACKS contain the basics needed to get started, including trekking poles, a compass, headlamp, rescue whistle and more, all contained in a rugged backpack that has room for your own personal essentials to be added so that you can fully and safely enjoy your day of hiking.

In addition to promoting exercise outdoors, hiking can boost mood and memory, reduce stress, and even alleviate depression and anxiety.

“We are fortunate to live in a province that has an abundance of spectacular parks and trails for people to explore and experience the physical and mental health benefits from being in nature,” said Kelly Greene, Parliamentary Secretary for the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “Hiking ExplorePACKS are an exciting new initiative to help people get outside to explore our local trails with basic hiking equipment and educational materials for a safe day outdoors.”

“BC AdventureSmart is excited to be partnering with the Richmond Public Library, and BC Parks, to promote hiking safety,” said Sandra Riches, Executive Director of BC AdventureSmart. “BC is a hikers paradise just waiting to be explored! We’re excited to offer items such as safety whistles, emergency shelters and emergency signalling cards for hikers to add to their backpacks.”

The Hiking ExplorePACKS are being introduced at a launch event at the Brighouse branch on Tuesday June 14 at 10:30am. Join the Mayor and special guests for an up-close look at the new collection, learn about hiking safety tips from local author and hiking expert Stephen Hui, and try your hand at a compass orienteering course in the library! Register today to save your seat at this exciting event https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/629a3f64316f8c4100f4c194.

To learn more about the library’s Hiking ExplorePACKS, visit https://www.yourlibrary.ca/hiking.

Richmond, BC – Are you looking for a career change, or are you at the beginning of your employment journey? Richmond Public Library is here to help connect community members to local opportunities. In partnership with WorkBC Centre Richmond, the library is pleased to offer a one-day Spring Job Fair featuring 18 Lower Mainland employers representing a variety of industries, including financial & investment, telecom, retail & hospitality, and many more.  This event takes place on Thursday May 26 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm in the Launchpad at the Brighouse branch.

The Spring Job Fair will provide participants with an opportunity to practice their interview and networking skills, and make valuable connections that could lead to new opportunities. Some employers may be offering short, on-the-spot interviews, so participants should be prepared for this. This is a registered event with four available time slots to choose from. Interested participants should register for a one-hour time slot and can arrive at any time during that one-hour period.

“We are very excited to continue our partnership with Richmond Public Library,” says Queenie Choo, CEO of S.U.C.C.E.S.S.  “The spring hiring event at Richmond Public Library offers an excellent opportunity to showcase local talents in the community, hence contributing to a stronger workforce and growing local industries.”

For more information and to register, please visit https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/626c4179db121f410084a731.We look forward to helping you to prepare for your next big career move!

Richmond, BC – Richmond Public Library is pleased to introduce an exciting new literacy activity in the Hamilton neighbourhood for community members of all ages to explore and enjoy together. On Thursday May 19, the library and the City of Richmond will officially open a permanent StoryWalk® circuit located in scenic McLean Park, funded in part by a Rotary grant.

A StoryWalk® is an interactive activity that combines reading and physical literacy, and is designed to guide participants through a picture book story in sequence while outdoors. While the library has offered temporary StoryWalks® since 2019, we are pleased to be able to offer a circuit that is available year-round. The StoryWalk® is free to enjoy rain or shine.

The community is invited to join the Mayor, members of City Council, the Library Board and special guests at the official launch on Thursday May 19 at 10:30am at McLean Park. Register to come and help us celebrate the new StoryWalk® at https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/62797db3934f852f000df7f6.

“The Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise is pleased to be a partner in the permanent Story Walk at Mclean Park in Richmond,” said Marg Dixon, past President and current Administration Chair for the Rotary Club of Richmond Sunrise. “This was enabled through funding from Rotary District 5040 and Decoda Literacy Solutions, with both organizations believing in the power of literacy to change lives.”

Community members can visit the StoryWalk® any time the park is open; simply start at the first sign post, located at the playground, and follow them clockwise along the trail.

The first story featured in the circuit is Orca Chief by Roy Henry Vickers and Robert Budd. This story was chosen to celebrate Richmond’s ties to the sea as well as to showcase the vibrant Indigenous art throughout the book. The stories will be changed out seasonally to keep the StoryWalk® experience fresh. The selected picture books feature a diverse range of stories and illustration styles that are well suited to anyone from preschool age and up.

Richmond, BC – Richmond Public Library is excited to announce the installation of the Exploring Ecology Through Place legacy project at the Brighouse branch, featuring artwork created by Rachel Rozanski, and presented in partnership with the City of Richmond Public Art Program.

This installation concludes the Exploring Ecology Through Place series, which was one of the 2021 Engaging Artists in Community projects. This series consisted of eight workshops led by Rozanski, designed to encourage participants to connect with their local ecology and with each other. These workshops covered different art techniques engaging the natural world, and participants each created their own art piece using items found in their surrounding environment. The legacy display, titled Exploring Ecology Underfoot, consists of a set of four large banners created by Rozanski featuring art from each of these workshops.

“Being new to Richmond, I enjoyed getting to explore this environment along with community members, making artwork that responded to what we found in different green spaces.” says Rozanski. “I brought components of my own artistic practice into this project, working with plants and ocean life, encouraging participants to explore their surroundings in ways they haven’t before.”

These banners are a representation of place for Richmond community members: what their surroundings meant to them, and how they were able to use what they found in their own neighbourhoods to express their own sense of belonging.

Visitors to the display are encouraged to reflect on what “place” means to them, and consider how to make a space their own. Exploring Ecology Underfoot will be on display at the Brighouse branch for the next several months. For more information about the Exploring Ecology Through Place program, please visit  https://exploringecology.wixsite.com/home.

Richmond, BC – Richmond Public Library, in partnership with the Lord’s Harvest Fellowship, is once again offering free Income Tax Clinics at the Brighouse branch. Trained volunteers will safely help community members with low income file their income tax returns.  This year’s clinics will follow a drop-off and pick-up format.

To qualify for this free service, single persons must have a maximum income of $35,000 and a couple must have a maximum income of $45,000 plus $2,500 per child.  Couples will need to sign up for one appointment time for each person.

Interested participants can register for a session by calling 604-231-6413 or visiting the Brighouse Branch 2nd floor Ask Me desk. Once registered, participants will need to stop by the Brighouse branch to pick up their registration forms. These forms will need to be filled out prior to the scheduled appointment.  A piece of government issued ID and all relevant tax slips such as T4, T5 and Canada Child Benefit slips must also be brought to the appointment.  All print documents will be returned to the participant at their pick-up time.

The clinics run on Saturdays from March 5 to April 30 (no sessions on April 16) with drop-off appointments offered between 10:30am and 3:30pm. Drop-off appointments on March 5 will be between 12:30pm and 3:30pm.

“We are grateful and blessed that for over ten years, our tax clinic has continued to positively impact members of our community who need it most, and that we are able to continue our partnership with the library to keep providing this vital service for our community!” said Pastor Abe Lagayan, representative of the Lord’s Harvest Fellowship.

Richmond, BC – Libraries across Canada recognize Freedom to Read Week in February, but we strive year-round to protect your right to freely choose what you read. During Freedom to Read Week, we focus on raising awareness about the impacts of censorship and informing the community about how and why books are challenged.

Hundreds of mainstream and little-known books, movies, magazines and more have been challenged in Canada over the last 40 years. During that same time, Richmond Public Library has received, reviewed and resolved over 110 customer challenges, including 6 last year.

“Richmond Public Library is committed to supporting and preserving intellectual freedom and the right to choose what you read, listen to and watch,” says Jordan Oye, Library Board Chair. “The library is proud to offer extensive collections on a large variety of topics, exploring many different viewpoints. During Freedom to Read Week, we bring awareness to the importance of understanding and talking about censorship and the freedom to read.”

The City of Richmond stands with the library in support of intellectual freedom. The Mayor has signed a proclamation endorsing Freedom to Read Week, available on our website at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/proclamation and on display at all RPL branches.

Join us in celebrating your freedom to read by visiting our interactive online collection of some of the most popular challenged books at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/freedom, viewing our displays of banned and challenged books in our branches or connecting with library staff. As always, you can ask a library staff member for recommendations to suit your family’s reading preferences. You can also call us with your questions at (604) 231-6413 or email us at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/ask-us. We are here to help!

To learn more about Freedom to Read Week, visit www.freedomtoread.ca.

Richmond, BC – February is Black History Month and Richmond Public Library is committed to uniting the community in celebration and raising awareness about this important global event. Together with Mary Wilson, a passionate local advocate, and the City of Richmond, we will be welcoming the community virtually all month long to a series of events.

“This year’s focus is the amazing contributions of people of African descent to the province of BC,” said Mary Wilson. “Share with us in celebration of the history and stories of some of our historic unsung local heroes who helped make BC the extraordinary province that it is. Get to know Sir James Douglas, John Sullivan Deas, Sylvia Stark, and others.”

The City of Richmond has once again proclaimed the month of February as Black History Month, an important step for the municipality and for Black community members. View the proclamation here https://www.yourlibrary.ca/black-history-month/.

The library is acknowledging Black History Month with virtual events for children, teens, adults and seniors. Registration is required for all programs.

• On Thursday February 10, join Fran Morrison of the BC Black History Awareness Society for an informative presentation on BC’s Black Pioneers: Economic, Political and Social Influences https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/61edbbebbb153536003fe739.
• On Sunday February 13, contribute to public knowledge and awareness of BC Black history by participating in the Unsung Heroes Wikipedia Edit-a-thon https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/61f092f9adc4372800c21f00.
• On Thursday February 24, take part in the first meeting of a new book club that will continue throughout 2022 called “Each One, Teach One”, that focuses on books by Black Canadian authors. The first event will discuss “Washington Black” by Esi Edugyan https://yourlibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/61e856f0e2c14342008cd94e.
• Storytimes on February 3, 7, 10, 14 and 17 will be featuring books by Black authors and illustrators with guest readers from the Richmond Black community. Visit the library’s events calendar to find out more and to register.

If you are looking for more reading options this month, watch for our mid-February book review in the Richmond News https://www.richmond-news.com/, featuring an in-depth look at the newly published fiction book “How the One-armed Sister Sweeps Her House” by Cherie Jones, which explores themes of race and class. Or, explore these thoughtfully prepared Black History Month book lists:

• Canadian Books for Children
• Canadian Books for Teens
• Canadian Fiction & Poetry for Adults
• Canadian Non-Fiction, Biographies & Memoirs for adults

We invite the entire community to participate, engage and learn! For more information, visit the library’s website or speak to a library staff member.

Richmond, BC – Following the highly successful fundraising campaign held in the fall of 2021, RPL and a community-led team that initiated the project are very pleased to announce the launch of the Linda Perron Ukulele Lending Library Collection for Richmond residents to borrow and enjoy. The collection was funded by community donations made in memory of Linda Perron, who was well-known throughout Richmond for her dedication to family and friends, her commitment to volunteerism and passion for grassroots music-making. The collection launches on February 2, to coincide with World Play Your Ukelele Day, a day for music lovers to enjoy their ukuleles or pick one up for the first time to try.

The lending collection consists of 25 ukuleles, including soprano, concert and tenor instruments, available for teens, adults and seniors to borrow. Each ukulele comes in a protective case, and the kit includes a tuner, beginner’s guide book and a small bundle of resource materials.  Ukuleles are fun and easy to learn.  Playing an instrument can boost mental and physical health, bringing increased eye-hand coordination, lower stress levels, improved brain function, focus, and mental clarity.

“Our family is overwhelmed with the generosity of the community, the Richmond Public Library and Tom Lee Music in creating this ukulele lending library in memory of Linda,” said Renée Aldana, daughter of Linda Perron. “Those of us who loved her know the impact she had on people. We’re so grateful that her legacy will continue in the form of access to music.”

To learn more about the collection or place a hold, stop by the Brighouse branch to see the kits in person, call us at 604-231-6413 or visit the library’s website at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/linda-perron-ukulele-lending-library/.

Did you know that you can still donate to help us to grow and expand this collection? Donate today at https://www.yourlibrary.ca/linda-perron-ukulele-lending-library/. Thank you for your support.

Richmond, BC – At their most recent meeting, the Richmond Public Library Board re-elected Jordan Oye as Board Chair and Caty Liu as Vice-Chair. Returning Board members also include: Diane Cousar, Chaslynn Gillanders, Denise Hui and Sherine Mehri. City Councillor Linda McPhail will continue to serve as the City Council representative to the Richmond Public Library Board with Councillor Bill McNulty as the City Council Alternate representative.

New to the Board for 2022 are Nabeel Abrahani and Rachel Ling, recently appointed by Richmond City Council for a two-year term.

Nabeel is a healthcare professional with a local pharmacy practice. Since immigrating to Richmond at a young age, Nabeel has developed a passion for improving the wellbeing of his community.

Rachel is a health professional experienced in providing post-secondary education in the field of health regulation. As a parent, she encourages her children to be active library users.

The Richmond Public Library Board would also like to thank outgoing Board Trustees Robin Leung and Danielle Lemon for their years of dedication and service to the public library and community.

Re-elected Board Chair Jordan Oye notes that the library is committed to ensuring that everyone has access to its programs, services and resources. “We are proud to serve and are always evolving to meet the changing needs of our growing and diverse community.”

“We would like the acknowledge and thank City Council, our community and our dedicated Friends of the Library for their ongoing support,” added Jordan. “We could not provide such innovative opportunities to Richmond residents without them.”