We Go Way Back!

The Friends history dates back to 1954 when the Greater Victoria Public Library was still the Victoria Public Library. We have been active in our present form since 1979 when the late author Terry Reksten became the first president.

In the past 15 years the Friends have raised over $600,000. All proceeds from our membership dues, annual book sales, the ongoing sales of books at the Friendshop at the Central Library and through library carts at the branches go towards the programs and services of the Library.

With a membership of almost 300, we Friends keep very busy! Once books are withdrawn from Library shelves they become the property of the Friends of the Library. We make these books available at our book sales, on bookcarts in all branches, or at the Friendshop at the Central Library. In addition to offering some great bargains, the sales generate enormous goodwill towards the Library.

Donations Totals for the last 10 years to GVPL

FRIEND'S WISH LIST

• The collection of video games and programming for teens at the new Saanich Centennial Branch was launched on November 15, 2007 with Carol Martin representing the Friends at the launch.
• The replacement of the Visualtek Reader in our Talking Book Department at the Central Library is pending.
• The purchase of 15 MP3 players as a new service for public loan is pending.
• The purchase of a 32-inch flat screen TV for the Saanich Centennial Branch to provide continuously rolling Library information has been completed and the TV is already in use.
• The Friends donation of $5000 to the literacy initiative at our annual general meeting in June 2007, to set up depository collections in community shelters to support outreach shelters and other community organizations whose clients lack access to reading materials (as recommended by a Library staff committee).
  The locations for the collections for Project Literacy's book deposits: Street Link, Sandy Merriman House, Dowler House, BC Families in Transition (i.e. formerly the Single Parents Resource Centre), John Howard Society, Mustard Seed, Our Place
• In 2008 the Friends donated $42,491.32 to the GVPL (total for the last ten years is $490,634). Some of this went to fund:
  Summer Reading Club $5,970
  Wheelchair $230
  Community Shelters Depository $4,738
  Video gaming Collections $13,000
  Media Equipment Table $295
  Writer in Residence $10,000.