Libraries aren’t just for studying, as the Terry Fox Library recently demonstrated when a group visited Riverside for their Library Live and on Tour program. The event was organized by Ms. Susan Henderson, Riverside’s librarian. The goal of the event was to break down any barriers and destigmatize libraries as places only meant for borrowing books. Overall, the tour was a huge success, with many students learning about how a library can work to their benefit.

The mobile library that came to Riverside.

The visit taught it’s attendees about how the library has evolved in terms of accessibility and technology. There are many new additions, including virtual reality opportunities, and robots designed to teach coding at certain library locations. A special vehicle was also brought and free books were given out. It’s called Library Live, often referred to as ‘Lili’- and it’s essentially a miniature library on wheels. Janeen Parent is the community development specialist for the library. She often drives Lili around to different institutions such as schools, senior care homes, and correctional facilities and leads educational workshops that are tailored to the place’s needs. “There is more to a library than books; it’s really all about learning,” said Parent during an interview. With schools, the goal of these events is to teach students how to determine internet accuracy and credibility of sources, while promoting the use of libraries.

Janeen Parent (left) and her Terry Fox Library colleagues.

For the library, involving itself in the local community is very important. This process is good for business, and it supports the message that a library can be whatever a person wants it to be, not just for studying and doing schoolwork. It’s not to say that libraries aren’t a wonderful asset to education, because they are. There are many resources at a students disposal that will help turn any grade into an A+, should the effort be added.

Students are continuously encouraged to use library databases in order to find relevant scholarly information that can be used in research papers or other projects. Libraries can give people the opportunity to find jobs, explore research, experience new ideas, and get lost within wonderful stories. The Terry Fox Library reflects the diversity and character that can be found in Port Coquitlam.