Nunavut Public Library Services

Annual Report
Provincial and Territorial Library Directors Council (PTLDC)
2003 - 2004

PTLDC Annual Reports Index

Mandate

Nunavut Public Library Services (NPLS) is committed to improving the quality of life of all Nunavummiut through meeting the informational, educational, and cultural interests of people living in all Nunavut communities throughout the territory.

Legislation

Currently, the NWT Library Act governs Nunavut Public Library Services. NPLS is working in conjunction with the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth towards developing new legislation to reflect a made-in-Nunavut Library Act.

Structure

NPLS is a Section in the Division of Culture and Heritage in the Department of Culture, Language, Elders & Youth, recently moved in April, 2004 from the Policy Division of the Department of Education. There are presently 11 community libraries, including Iqaluit Centennial Library in the capital city of Nunavut.

Finances

The territorial government provides funding for the public library system through a combination of government sponsored facilities and through a system of community contribution agreements, which are held between the Government of Nunavut and local administering bodies (e.g. District Education Authorities, Heritage Societies, or Friendship Centers). The Government of Nunavut provides staff and materials funding to community libraries, as well as funding for the administrative headquarters located in Baker Lake. The budget remains unchanged from fiscal year 2003.

Activities

• Consolidated partnership with the National Film Board
• Attended the ALA/CLA 2003 conference in Toronto
• Author tour by Métis writer Jacqueline Guest visited libraries in Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Baker Lake, and Iqaluit in November 2003
• Conducted a technology training tour of 11 communities sponsored by the Bill Melinda Gates Foundation
• Each community library received two additional Gates computers and one staff computer to support community Internet access
• Iqaluit Centennial Library transitioned to automated circulation
• NPLS was featured in News/North in June 2004
• NPLS featured in American Libraries in March 2003
• Elders storytelling program in Rankin Inlet

New And Forthcoming Initiatives

• Working with Nunavut Library Consortium, a group comprising the Legislative Library, Court of Justice Library, Nunavut Arctic College Library and NPLS to shift its online catalogues and circulation to a hosted solution with VTLS, in a move that will lower costs and ease access for all of the community libraries in the territory.
• Moving its technical services functions to Baker Lake headquarters and is working with its jobber to streamline processing of all materials ordered
• Getting ready for the TD Summer Reading Club, scheduled for the months of July and August in Igloolik, Rankin Inlet, Cambridge Bay, Clyde River, Pond Inlet, and Iqaluit
• Baker Lake HQ is preparing to move to its new building, which is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2004
• Filled two professional librarian positions at HQ in Baker Lake.

Web Links

Library Catalogue - http://library.gov.nu.ca

PTLDC Annual Reports Index