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The Port Moody Public Library is a key player in our community's wellbeing and quality of life. We are always looking ahead to ensure we continue to fulfill this role.
Our Library today
The Port Moody Public Library serves a population of 33,535 through a single branch facility in the Port Moody Civic Centre Complex. The current library facility opened on September 6, 1995. Over the 25 years the Library has been at this location, the surrounding neighbourhood has changed dramatically, and library use has grown accordingly.
Current challenges
The Port Moody Public Library is extremely well-used. In 2021, even with reduced hours during the COVID-19 pandemic:
- We had almost 120,000 in-person visitors to the Library.
- We circulated over 560,000 items.
- We offered over 600 programs and events and more than 27,000 people attended.
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Our Library space is inadequate
Our current Library building is 12,500 square feet. Based on a 2017 report done by Resource Planning Group, the Library needs a minimum of 42,500 square feet to adequately serve the Port Moody community.
Our Library does not have distinct areas that serve different patron needs. A lively event (for example, a storytime) often occurs in an area right next to a study space. We also do not have large, dedicated spaces to hold our programs. As a result, noise complaints are common and we cannot accommodate as many people as we would like in our programs.
Our vision for the future
The Library Board and Staff strongly believe that a larger, custom-built facility is essential to the Library’s ability to continue meeting community needs. The following reports provide more information about the work the Library has undertaken thus far to move this initiative forward.
- Space Needs Analysis (2005), conducted by Cornerstone Planning Group.
- Community Needs Assessment (2012).
- Space Needs Analysis (2014), conducted by Kasian Architecture, led to a renovation in 2017 to meet short-term needs.
- Functional Space Programming (2017), conducted by Resource Planning Group.
Presentation to City Council
In 2019, the Library Board presented on our Library Space Needs to City Council.
- View the presentation slides.
- Watch a video summary of the presentation
The Library Board of the Port Moody Public Library is advocating for expanded library services through a fivefold vision:
New library facility: Frequently asked questions
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Has a City committee already investigated building a new library facility? |
| Yes, the Port Moody Library Building Expansion Committee was active between 2006 and 2010 to investigate and make recommendations to City Council in support of a new or expanded library facility. |
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Why is the Old Firehall site a preferred location for a new library? |
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The Old Firehall site ranked highest when the Port Moody Library Building Expansion Committee went through the site selection process, considering a wide range of factors such as proximity to transit and potential for future expansion. The Old Firehall site is close to the Recreation Centre, making it convenient for families to include a visit to the Library in the same trip. This location would be highly visible and would allow our community to highlight the significance of literacy and learning. |
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Have other locations been considered besides the Old Firehall site? |
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Yes, the Building Expansion Committee considered several locations, including Pioneer Park and Kyle Centre. Potential locations were analyzed on the bases of pedestrian access, availability of parking, and site preparation requirements, among other criteria. Based on this analysis, the Old Firehall site was determined to be the most advisable. |
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How much space would a future library need and why? |
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Currently, our Library has 12,500 square feet. We are advocating for a new space that is 42,500 square feet. Most libraries are planned for the population they will serve in 20 to 30 years. Please see 2017 report done by Resource Planning Group to learn more. |
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Why not just expand the current location at 100 Newport Drive? |
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This has been studied both in 2005 and 2014. At the most, the Library could be expanded by 6,500 ft2 on the current footprint, for a total of 19,000 ft2. This would be less than half the 42,500 ft2 recommended by the 2017 Resource Planning Group Report. Note that it is not possible to build a second floor on top of the current structure. |
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Has a second library branch been considered for Port Moody? |
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Yes, a second library branch has been considered for Moody Centre. The Library does not favour a second branch because of the additional costs involved not only for staffing and facilities, but also for essential technical infrastructure. |
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When you say Port Moody Public Library is busier per square metre than its peer libraries, which libraries are you referring to? |
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Port Moody Public Library's peer libraries are those BC libraries that serve a population between 15,000 and 75,000. This includes New Westminster Public Library, North Vancouver City Library, and West Vancouver Memorial Public Library, among others. |