Some of the New Westminster Public Library’s collection of heritage materials are on the move – to help the facility meet its modern-day needs.
The New Westminster Public library is transferring a small collection of heritage materials to the New Westminster Museum and Archives as part of its effort to redesign the second floor of its main branch on Sixth Avenue in uptown New West. The collection includes historic fire insurance maps, old city directories and microfilm.
Relocating these materials to the City of New Westminster’s archives follows the transfer of a larger amount of heritage materials that took place during the library’s 2018 renovation.
“Some may not know that hundreds of photographs were transferred to the archives in 2018, but the index to those photographs remained at the library,” chief librarian Carolyn Casenas said in a news release. “We are thrilled that the New Westminster Museum and Archives have accepted our donation of this last set of materials”
The New Westminster Museum and Archives is located in Anvil Centre in downtown New West.
“New Westminster heritage services is excited to accept this collection of heritage resources and add them to those already available in our Archives Reading Room at 777 Columbia St.,” said Rob McCullough, manager of New Westminster museums and heritage services. “For the first time, the public will have the opportunity to discover and work with the city’s full and extensive array of heritage materials in one place.”
According to a press release from the New Westminster Public Library, the library will retain books related to local history, as well as heritage materials related specifically to the library.
In June 2019, the New Westminster Public Library celebrated the completion of its $5.5-million renovation to the main branch – a project that included a temporary closure of the facility for a few weeks in early 2019. The renovation included Interior enhancements include refurbished public washrooms, the addition of a study room, the creation of a dedicated teen space and a new Technology Learning Centre on the second floor; it also included infrastructure improvements throughout the interior and exterior of the library, including upgrades to ceilings, HVAC ducting, lighting, windows and electrical systems.
The COVID-19 pandemic has been part of the reason for the latest redesign of the second-floor space of the building at 716 Sixth Ave.
As part of its planned redesign the library examined the use of the second floor, prompted by increased demand for individual study space and more reliable technology, seen particularly since the onset of the COVID pandemic. The library experienced a 52 per cent increase in the number of visitors to its second floor between 2022 and 2023 alone and is currently on track to surpass that at the end of 2024.
“While we are pleased to see so many people relying on the library as a third space to study and work, we have taken note that our current configuration and service offerings are not optimized for the needs of a growing community,” Casenas said in the press release. “Transferring the last remnants of the library’s heritage materials to the New Westminster Museum and Archives is a critical component needed for an effective redesign of the floor.”
According to the NWPL, the opportunity to refresh the second floor is made possible by a grant all public libraries received in 2023, part of a provincewide strategy to help libraries recover from the COVID pandemic. Plans include the addition of more study stations with outlets for the charging of portable devices, improved printing and copying services, and access to more public technology.
Following public consultation, the library will be working to recruit designs for a refreshed public technology, study and service area to be completed in early 2025, said the NWPL press release.
“Founded in 1865, the New Westminster Public Library is committed to providing accessible and responsive community services, that balance the needs of traditional library users with those seeking the tools and experiences of a modern, technologically relevant public space,” said the press release. “The library provides dynamic and vibrant means for the community to continually grow, learn, and succeed.”
