Okanagan Regional Library

The Okanagan Regional Library (ORL) system serves the Okanagan region of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Its administrative headquarters are in Kelowna. The system covers 59,000 square kilometers of area, and serves 360,000 people through 30 branches. ORL was founded in 1936. In 2013, the library held 3.2 million physical items.[2] The library is largely funded through tax revenues from four administrative areas, the Regional District of North Okanagan,[4] the Regional District of Central Okanagan, the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District, and the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen.[5] It also receives funding from the provincial and federal governments.

Okanagan Regional Library Administrative Centre
49.86166683562736°N 119.46892081594086°W / 49.86166683562736; -119.46892081594086
Location1430 K.L.O. Rd
Kelowna, British Columbia
V1W 3P6
Established1936
Branches30
Collection
Items collectedbooks, e-books, music, cds, periodicals, maps, genealogical archives, business directories, local history
Size25,000 (2011)[1]
Access and use
Circulation3.2 M (2013)[2]
Population served400,000[3]
Other information
WebsiteORL website

In November 2018, the ORL collaborated with the University of British Columbia Okanagan (UBCO) to open an on-campus branch[6] to serve the UBCO community.[7]

In 2019 the first Makerspace[8] was added to the ORL system at the Westside Learning Lab. Soon after a makerspace in the Downtown Kelowna, Vernon, Lumby, Golden, and Revelstoke library branches.[9] Makerspaces are equipped with maker technologies including:[9] 3D printers, recording studios, Cricut Makers, Glowforge laser cutters, and sublimation printers and heat presses.

Patrons of the library are also able to borrow more than books. The ORL has a Library of Things[10] (LoT) that houses different kits and technologies that are abled to be checked out for a period of time. Different kits in the LoT include: outdoor activity kits, Snap Circuits, birding backpacks, Sphero Bolt, Ozobot Evo, Code and Go Robot Mouse, Microscope, Home Energy thermal camera, radon detector, and carbon dioxide monitor.

The Westbank Branch has a active writers group: Westbank Writers' Group.[11] Members meet weekly to share and discuss their writings.

Locations

History

In 1935, residents of the Okanagan participated in a referendum to decide whether to start a library system in the valley. After a majority voted "yes", the first Kelowna library, then called the Okanagan Union Library, was constructed. The original collection was 18,000 items, and served a population of about 25,000.[1]

References
  1. "Okanagan library celebrates 75 years". Vernon Morning Star. Feb 12, 2011.
  2. Board of the Okanagan Regional Library (2013). "Okanagan Regional Library Annual Report, 2013": 5. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  3. "About the Okanagan Regional Library (ORL)" (PDF). City of West Kelowna.
  4. "Okanagan Regional Library". Regional District of North Okanagan.
  5. "Okanagan Regional Library Board". Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen.
  6. Wellborn, Patty (2018-11-02). "Okanagan Regional Library opens branch at UBC". UBC Okanagan News. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  7. Lacey, Sajni; Lomness, Arielle (January 2020). "Better together: Assessing a leisure reading collection for an academic and public library partnership". The Journal of Academic Librarianship. 46 (1): 102023. doi:10.1016/j.acalib.2019.03.011. S2CID 150077351. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  8. "New Okanagan learning lab stirs creativity, imagination with some pretty cool technology - Okanagan | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  9. "Makerspaces | Okanagan Regional Library (ORL)". orl.bc.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  10. "Library of Things | Okanagan Regional Library (ORL)". orl.bc.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-12.
  11. "Westbank Writers' Group motivate each other to achieve dreams". Kelowna Capital News. 2018-12-27. Retrieved 2023-09-22.
  12. "BC Wildfire Service". wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca. Retrieved 2023-09-12.

Further reading
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