Vancouver Public Library

The Vancouver Public Library (VPL) is the public library system for the city of Vancouver, British Columbia. It is a place where people can go to read, learn, and explore many different kinds of materials.

VPL has 21 physical locations and also offers services online. It serves many people, helping them find information, enjoy stories, and take part in community events. The library has items like books, ebooks, CDs, DVDs, video games, newspapers, and magazines for people to borrow.

Services

The Vancouver Public Library has many books and digital materials. It also helps people find community information. The library has programs for children, youth, and adults. It can bring items to people who cannot leave their homes. You can use information services, text databases, and ask for books from other libraries.

One Book, One Vancouver

One Book, One Vancouver was a citywide book club. The Vancouver Public Library chose one book each year from four options. This program stopped after 2010. Some of the books were:

2002: The Jade Peony – Wayson Choy
2003: Stanley Park – Timothy Taylor
2004: The Corporation: The Pathological Pursuit of Profit and Power – Joel Bakan
2005: Obasan – Joy Kogawa
2006: There is a Season: A Memoir in a Garden – Patrick Lane
2007: My Year of Meats – Ruth Ozeki
2008: The Five Books of Moses Lapinsky – Aren X. Tulchinsky
2009: The Crazy Canucks: Canada's Legendary Ski Team – Janet Love Morrison
2009: The Farm Team – Linda Bailey
2010: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy – Douglas Adams

History

The Vancouver Carnegie Library was completed in 1903. The building was used as the main branch of the public library until 1957. The Carnegie Branch is currently located in the building.

In January 1869, a manager at the Hastings Mill started a library for his workers. After the Great Vancouver Fire in 1886, some of these books went to a new reading room that opened in 1887.

VPL moved its Central branch location from the Carnegie Library to 750 Burrard Street in 1957. The building was used as the Central branch until 1995.

In 1901, a generous man named Andrew Carnegie gave money to build a new library. It opened in November 1903 and had special rooms for children. The library moved to new places in 1957 and 1995. It is now in Downtown Vancouver.

City librarians

George Pollay (1887–1890)
James Edwin Machin (1892–1910)
Alfred E. Goodman (1910)
Robert Waite Douglas, city librarian (1911–1924)
Edgar Stewart Robinson, director (1924–1957)
Peter Grossman, director (1957–1969)
Morton P. Jordan, director (1970–1978)
George C. Wootton, director (1979–1983)
Aileen Tufts, director (1984–1987)
Madge Aalto, director (1988–2003)
Paul Whitney, city librarian (2003–2010)
Sandra Singh, chief librarian (2010–2018)
Christina de Castell, chief librarian (2018–2025)
Ben Hyman, chief librarian & CEO (2025–present)

Branches

The Vancouver Public Library has 21 branches across the city. The first permanent branch opened in Kitsilano in 1927, and the newest one, the Terry Salman Branch, opened in 2011. The biggest branch is the Central Library, located in downtown Vancouver at Library Square.

The Central Library is a large, modern building that serves as the main branch. It has books, study areas, and even a rooftop garden. The building also includes space for offices, shops, restaurants, and parking below ground. It was finished in 1995 after people voted to support the project. Since it opened, many more people visit the library each year.