FRPL has sent a letter to the Saskatchewan Minister of Education encouraging an increase in funding to the provincial library system. We are also asking for a report and list of actions resulting from the recent provincial library review. https://friendsofrpl.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/frpl-to-hon.-dustin-duncan-mar-22-2021-final.pdf
RPL budget at City – March 24, 1:00 pm
FRPL has sent in a letter about the RPL budget. https://friendsofrpl.files.wordpress.com/2021/03/frpl-to-city-re-rpl-budget-2021-mar-22-2021-final.pdf
We will be making a presentation sometime after 1 pm Wed. Mar 24. To see the budget meeting agenda go to the City website https://www.regina.ca/city-government/city-council/council-meetings/ http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx
New RPL Board reps – Masters & Findura
The two new City Council representatives on the Regina Public Library Board will be Mayor Sandra Masters and Councilor John Findura.
The full slate of the committees that all the City Councilors are recommended for is in the December 2 City Council meeting packet on pages 88 to 89 http://reginask.iqm2.com/Citizens/default.aspx
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FRPL AGM Sat Nov 26 1:30 pm
For the FRPL AGM, there are several options for participating.
For those that haven’t Zoomed before: 1. You can join by phone 2. You can click on the meeting link and download Zoom 3. If downloading Zoom doesn’t work for you , you can go to this webpage [https://zoom.us/]. Click on Join a Meeting . Enter the Meeting ID. Enter Passcode.
Email FRPL@sasktel.net to get the Meeting Link, ID and Passcode.
Please try to sign up at 1:15 so we can get settled before the meeting starts at 1:30.
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RPL Covid response & opening of some services
Responding to the Covid crisis has been a process for the RPL, wanting to provide services but having the safety of library patrons and staff as its first priority. On March 16, the City of Regina announced the closure of recreational facilities and the library branches. At the March 24 meeting of the RPL Board, to the FRPL representatives who attended the meeting via teleconference, the sense was that the Board would keep staff fully employed as long as possible. To assist during the Covid crisis, on April 2, RPL began sharing computers and servers to analyze data for scientists. In late April, the RPL extended its free Wi-Fi coverage to encompass the outside areas surrounding its branches. On May 17 it became public through the news media that the RPL was temporarily laying off 100 of its 180 staff, hopefully only for 12 weeks. The staff union and RPL management worked out an agreement about this layoff and the subsequent return to work. The RPL said it would assist people in applying for the federal CERB benefit. That brings us up to the present time, when RPL is able to provide some limited services again, as indicated in the RPL media release of June 4, 2020 …………..
RPL MEDIA RELEASE JUNE 4, 2020
RPL to offer materials returns and curbside pickup
Customers can start returning materials to four library branch locations starting Monday, June 8, and pick up materials starting Monday, June 15.
“Our community has been telling us they need new books to read and with new safety protocols, we’re happy to serve,” Sean Quinlan, Chair of the RPL Board of Directors, said. “Customers can now walk, ride, or run to these four branches and get those items they’ve been waiting for.”
There will be four locations at which materials can be picked up and returned: Central Library, George Bothwell Branch at Southland Mall, Sunrise Branch, and Sherwood Village Branch. These services will be available Monday to Saturday from 10am to 6pm, and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Instructions on how to return library materials are available on RPL’s website: www.reginalibrary.ca. Instructions for curbside pickup are coming soon.
Buildings will remain closed to the public – pickups will be done outside of the branch, and book drops will be unlocked at these four locations during the times listed. Further safety measures will be established for both customers and staff, including social distancing requirements, and a 72-hour waiting period before staff touch returned materials.
“We have put in place safety protocols such as social distancing and cleaning standards consistent with guidelines developed by Saskatchewan Health Authority and Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC),” Quinlan said. “We are doing all we can to keep everyone safe, and we ask that customers do their part too.”
Customers who would like further information are encouraged to contact us at 376-777-6000 or email askalibrarian@reginalibrary.ca. Our hotline hours are 10:00am to 6:00pm, Monday to Saturday, and 1:00 to 5:00pm on Sunday.
……….. Instructions on how to return library materials are available on RPL’s website: www.reginalibrary.ca.
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Building ideas about Central Library
On Feb. 5, members of the public talked about what they would like to see in library services at Central Library. The participants also gave many suggestions regarding the library building, such as:
- keep the current building,
- add another storey or two onto the current building,
- build an addition on the land west of the current building,
- build up and over the current building,
- use the City Hall parkade in some way,
- become part of the development along the railroad west of the Main Post Office,
- use some of the other vacant lots in the downtown,
- have more than one library building location downtown,
- have a library building and a community centre downtown.
These suggestions have been made in the past, and the Library Board claims to have looked at them. But the public has not seen any reports that review these ideas.
The library must first look at what services it wants to provide. This was part of previous consultations with the public and library staff. https://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/ The public views will be updated by the current survey. The summation of these ideas should be presented to the public for thorough discussion and prioritization.
The public should also see engineering and architectural reports on the possibilities of the many options concerning the Central Library building, including costs.
After public consensus is achieved, then decisions should be made and efforts to get community support behind funding options could go ahead.
Deadline – CORRECTION – Feb 20 at MIDNIGHT is the deadline for filling out the RPL survey
CORRECTION The RPL survey deadline is actually MIDNIGHT Feb 20.
Thurs. Feb. 20 at 9 AM is the deadline for filling in the survey about Central Library.
The consultants will be compiling their report for decisions by the Library Board. The next public RPL Board meeting is March 24. It is not clear if they will be deciding at that point in time on the major directions of: renovating Central Library, adding on to the current building or demolishing the building and adding on. It is unclear whether the RPL Board will share a tentative decision for public feedback before making the decision final. However, the discussions at the public meeting on Feb. 5 seemed to indicate that the Board would just go ahead with its decision based on the consultants report, “sometime in the spring”..
Of course, later on the consultants will certainly present pictures of design details, but that will not give public scrutiny to the Board’s major decision.
Survey on Central Library
The RPL has a survey about Central Library.
– fill it out online https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DCBBK5Y
– print and fill in the attached PDF and bring to a library
– ask for a print copy at any library branch to fill in there
The deadline for filling out the survey is not know, but the consultants want to get their report done in the next couple of months, so try to fill out the survey in the next few days. Public opinion does work and we are the public.
Some things to note:
– The questions are reasonably open-ended.
– Question 8 allows you to add your own comments.
– Question 5 neglects to mention:
………..the Prairie History Room
………..being a source for reference material and research
………..literacy programs
………..Outreach Services https://www.reginalibrary.ca/services/outreach
– The survey doesn’t ask whether you would like to see the current building preserved or ask ideas about how the space could be expanded (extra floors, build on to the west, build up-and-over, use the City Hall parkade for parking, locate some services in another building). How to improve it cost-effectively. Please indicate your suggestions.
– Think about what the Central Library’s role should be in Regina’s downtown. And the options for other organizations or buildings to fill these roles.
We encourage you to look at the previous reports.
Project Main page https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/major-projects
Previous reports https://www.reginalibrary.ca/cld/
– Dialogue community survey
– Central Library building assessment
– Development plan, lots of information and ideas here, see page 85-86 for overview of site, ideas about each area of the library, services that could be provided and space needed.
FRPL members will be meeting to discuss plans concerning Central Library. If you would like to participate in these discussions, please email us, or phone (306) 535-9570
Over 100 people turned out for the meeting on Feb. 5 ! Most were in favour of retaining the current library building, some agreeing with renovations or additions if needed. Many good questions were asked and suggestions made. Here is CTV news coverage https://regina.ctvnews.ca/regina-public-library-looking-to-improve-downtown-location-1.4801093?fbclid=IwAR1vhRuZjsJ9W-y9B8lMfR-1qbB05nSD3FGOJO–9XjsTtbs811j1qR91Ao
Central Library building future Feb 5, 2020
PLEASE ATTEND as these meetings by consultants will guide future steps regarding Central Library.
See invitation letter from RPL below and attached poster. More information is also available on the RPL website https://www.reginalibrary.ca/about/major-projects
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Tagged architecture, Biblio Files, Building Assessment, Central Branch, Central Library, City Council, City of Regina, Friends of the Regina Public Library, FRPL, heritage, Knox Metropolitan Church, libraries, library, Masonic Temple, Masons, modernist, public consultation, regina, Regina Public Library, RPL, Saskatchewan