The Sechelt Public Library librarian and staff, board members, volunteers and Friends of the Library have all been through a very difficult period. A leak in the building has caused the closure of the library for several months.
Despite this disaster, the users of the library have been able to order books, return books, read the newspapers and magazines in comfort in the pop-up library in Trail Bay Mall, as well as get help with computer problems, continue genealogy research, purchase books at the Friends of the Library book sale days and attend other programs.
We thank the dedicated staff and volunteers for their hard work to ensure library users were looked after. In the library’s history there have been problems but none as severe as this past one.
There has been a library in Sechelt since 1936; the first was a lending library in Alice French’s little shop beside her home behind today’s Shell gas station on Cowrie Street.
In 1960, the parent teacher association at Sechelt Elementary School decided Sechelt needed a public library. Fundraising events were held and books donated. These were housed in an apartment above Jack Redman’s Red and White Grocery Store on the north side of Cowrie Street. The Salvation Army Thrift Store now occupies the ground floor of the old grocery store, the second floor was removed a number of years ago. In 1965, the library was moved across the street to one of Mr. Phillips’ houses. He had willed two houses to the Hospital Society, which loaned one to the library. Today’s Sechelt Hospital Auxiliary Thrift Store is located on the property.
In 1967, centennial year, Sechelt and Halfmoon Bay pooled their grants and Sechelt’s Centennial Library was built on land sold at a very reasonable price to the Village of Sechelt by Alice French. The Centennial Library building still stands on Trail Avenue behind the Shell Gas Station and is a Community Resource Centre.
The library was run by dedicated volunteers for many years and funded by local government grants. Lack of floor space and no regular source of income prevented the library from becoming part of the provincial library system until 1981, when the library finally qualified for and received its first cheque from the province – $10,000 for books. An addition was built, more shelving added and a new typewriter was purchased. One very rainy evening, librarian Marie Montgomery decided to check the library and was just in time to prevent a muddy river from ruining the books!
Nov. 1,1996 was opening day for Sechelt’s current library, one of the busiest places on the Coast.
From the Centennial Library days to today’s “new” library there has been a dedicated, loyal group of librarians, library staff and volunteers helping library users. We extend to them our grateful thanks for making the Sechelt Public Library such a welcoming, friendly place and an essential part of our community.
