Youth Space Planning

In the Fall of 2023, the WVML Youth Department undertook a robust space planning consultation process. Hundreds of kids, teens, caregivers, and educators told us about how changes to our existing space could help them learn better, use the Library more, and discover the world of imagination.

Now, we’re ready to share what we learned!

It's time to grow

The WVML Youth Department does a lot with a little. With a small team, this department serves more than 9,000 kids and teens, plus their families, caregivers, and educators—not to mention all our users from across the North Shore and beyond.

Over the last decade, the Youth Department has added 10 new collections, increased programming, and opened a new Teen space, all without any major renovations. Now, we need to make vital improvements and enhancements to the space we have so we can continue to innovate and meet our community’s changing needs for the next decade and beyond.

Did you know?

WVML is one of the busiest libraries in BC.
In 2022, the Youth Department generated more than 300,000 loans, offered programs for 11,600 attendees, and answered more than 10,000 queries.
In the first half of this year, the Youth Department was responsible for more than 1/3 of all circulation in the Library.

FAQs

Why do we need a renovation for the Youth Department?

The WVML Youth Department does a lot with a little. With a small team, they serve more than 9,000 kids and teens, plus their families, caregivers, and educators.

In 2022, the Youth Department generated more than 300,000 loans, offered programs to 11,600 attendees, and answered more than 10,000 queries.

There hasn’t been a substantial upgrade since 2013, with the introduction of the Teen Space. Kids and families haven’t seen any upgrades since 2005, with the addition of the Storyhouse.

When would changes be coming?

Construction won’t begin until 2025 or later—for now we are just soliciting feedback and planning.

Where is the money for this renovation coming from?

We will look for a variety of funding types, including local municipal support, fundraising (capital campaign), sponsorship and grants.

What’s next? I’ve reviewed the Powerpoint and filled out the survey, but how do I give more feedback?

All email feedback sent to youth@westvanlibrary.ca will be recorded and considered.

In addition, you can contact the Project Leads below.

Project Leads

Stephanie Hall

Director

Shannon Ozirny

Head of Youth Services

Featured Collections

Youth Space Planning