Annual Report 2021-22

Shaped by Community

Welcome to Halifax Public Libraries' 2021-2022 Annual Report. This collection of stories and videos offer a glimpse into a year in the life of the Library, and its ever-evolving role in our community. We hope you enjoy exploring these moments in time and reflecting on what the Library means to you.

A Message From Åsa Kachan

When we launched a new Library brand five years ago, its colours, functionality, and messaging were all shaped by community—what we heard and saw from you. There was a message that became central to the brand, and continues to this day: "Our Library. Your Library. My Library."

Our Library is the foundation for excellent Library service. Our staff, our buildings, our infrastructure. From here, great things launch and grow.

Your Library is the merging and mingling of service and community. There is no distinct line between the two. Halifax Public Libraries is not confined by the walls of its 14 branches and two community offices. We always strive to meet people where they are, and in this past year, as the world began to get back on its feet at varying paces, that intersection and adaptability was even more integral than ever.

My Library is how you, our community members, our partners, our volunteers, our champions and changemakers; make this place and all its assets, your own. The essence of My Library is the essence of you and how you use the Library to improve your life and your community.

This year's report represents all these aspects of the Library, and how they combine to make a whole. Belonging to everyone, founded for common good, constantly changing, always yours. From the improvements to our branches and behind-the-scenes work that creates seamless service, to the modern Library's role in health outcomes, food security, child development and newcomer integration, to community voices ringing loud and true through the floors of every branch—please take a look back at a year in the life of our, your, my: Library. It's something we can all be proud of.

A Message From Kim Brooks

As we look back on 2021-22, I am proud of what Halifax Public Libraries has accomplished in support of the residents of Halifax Regional Municipality.

As we entered the second year of the pandemic, Halifax Public Libraries' role in community health was highlighted. We partnered with Public Health to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Over the past year, we hosted hundreds of pop-up COVID-19 testing and vaccine clinics and helped 500 community members return pulse oximeter devices to Public Health. All library branches became essential hubs for distributing rapid testing kits, with more than 700,000 at-home tests provided.

2021-22 was also a significant year for anniversaries. Whether it was outdoor celebrations, Zoom events, or custom Grab & Go activity packs, branches found ways to mark notable milestones. Dartmouth North Public Library's 25^th anniversary was celebrated with the grand re-opening of the newly renovated branch.

I hope that you enjoy the many celebratory stories and photos of our staff, volunteers, neighbours and partners in this report. As we acknowledge the outstanding work of the Library over the past year, it's also important to look to the future. Public libraries play a pivotal role in community's access to information and one another. Whether it's building early literacy skills, helping newcomers settle in, or reducing social isolation, libraries offer a guided path to understanding the world around us, and connect us with one another.

Thank you to our entire community for your engagement with the Public Library. You're the reason we're here.