It’s 1909 and you want to read a book. Where to go?
You’d go to a room located in the Kamloops City Court House where you could choose from 60 books, according to Margo Schiller, Manager of Kamloops Library and Engagement.
By 1950 the library had grown into a municipal library and, in 1956, had moved into a new building. In June 1972 the Interior Library System Committee Conference changed the Cariboo Regional District and Thompson-Nicola Regional District Committee to the Cariboo Thompson Regional Library System Society which used a bookmobile to demonstrate the advantage of a library in urban areas.
“The Interior Library System Committee campaigned for a referendum via a “door-to-door, by phone calls, and even pamphlets to implement a library service for everyone,” explained Schiller. This system became the Cariboo-Thompson Nicola System.
Originally, the North Shore public library — the largest at the time — had been opened at Tranquille Rd. on October 17, 1975. By 1977 the library outgrew the location as there just wasn’t room to shelf any new books. So, the Thompson Nicola Library System was relocated to a 13,000 sq. ft. building by 1978. Unfortunately the building burned down on Jan. 9, 1979, which forced a relocation to St. Paul St. Later, in 1985, the Library moved to 63 West Victoria St.
In 1987 the Cariboo Thompson Nicola Library System assisted 160,000 patrons which included 43 branches within 50,000 sq. miles and a Bookmobile Service which, by 1992, served Arola, Spences Bridge, and Loon Lake. The Cariboo Regional District and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District became two separate systems. A new computer catalogue replaced the microfiche method readers used for library searches.
Between 1998 and 2013 new libraries were opened in Blue River, Merritt, Barriere, Savona, North Kamloops (2010) and Logan Lake. By 2015 all libraries had wireless internet access. The Thompson-Nicola Regional Library became the new name of the library system in 2018.
The North Shore library opened in Library Square in 2005 and the outside design features the spine of a book, an invitation to passersby to open the pages and read a story. The new Aberdeen Tiny Library, in Aberdeen Mall, opened in 2023. This was a new idea built around having a ‘mini library’ available to the public. The library uses Radio Frequency Identification technology which allows for an automated book dispenser and a ‘holds locker’.
The TNRD system celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2024. Today the North Shore library is in ‘refresh’ mode facing needed updates, some improved maintenance, and expansion.
“A library must always be ready to update itself,” explained Schiller. “There will be a new front desk. The children’s play area will be an expanded design which will include small items for tactile learning, wooden manipulatives of the alphabet and numbers for hands on learning, fishing game, shape sorting, stacking and colour sorting activities. Also, the library will continue with story time, tiny tunes with songs and rhymes building a love for stories and reading.
“Further there are programmes for after school age children and also professional development days. A larger area for teens is designed to invite young adults into the library. Video games are also offered. There is the youth Hub, a read one book per summer programme. The goal is to bring teens in, encourage interest in our space and services.”
The Garden Reading Area will remain open during spring and summer. Planters with flowers add a touch of beauty to the area. Toys and a sand table will be available for children.
Sometimes the Mother Goose reading programme will be held in the area, stated Schiller.
The library will continue to provide accessibility services, assistance with visual impairment, and audio book programmes allowing greater access to audio equipment. For those interested in writing there is a writer in residence where adults can receive one-on-one support and practice writing their stories. Additionally, the library promotes book clubs for adults and seniors, a time for shared reading and conversation.
Also available is the library home service. Materials can be taken to the patron’s home and picked up later. Audio assistance is also available for the visually impaired.
The ten computers are still accessible for patrons’ use. One-to-one assistance through the Kamloops Partner Assisted Learning Programme with teen volunteers who support adults in building their computer skills continue through this program. There are ten computers for patrons’ use and a meeting room and washrooms remain accessible.
Photocopying will be at hand as patrons copy documents from their phones or send documents through the computer, Schiller noted.
The library has a good selection of digital materials, books, e-books, audio books, and magazines. Learning through digital accessibility means being linked in to learning for all kinds of different topics, Schiller pointed out.
The refresh will continue for the next several months, however, the library will remain open.