The Port Hardy Library joined in the celebrations for the Vancouver Island Regional Library’s 90th birthday celebrations May 30.

Port Hardy’s library has a significant history itself, having been established in 1972.

According to information compiled by the Port Hardy Museum, the first Port Hardy Library was sponsored by the Port Hardy Community Club and the Robert Scott School Parent Teacher Organization. It was located in the old Community Hall. The book collection was mainly donated by local residents and supplemented by an exchange of books from the BC Travelling Library Commission.

Four or five cartons of books would be sent up by coastal steamer to the Port Hardy dock every four or five months to be picked up, unpacked and shelved by the volunteer library workers who would then pack up the previous shipment of books for return to Victoria.

Ethel Woodward and Bessie O’Connor were among the volunteers who ran the library during the early years.

In the mid-60s, the Community Hall needed renovations and so the library was temporarily closed, except for the travelling Library Commission books which Lorraine Spencer distributed from her home. The library was reopened in the Community Hall in 1968 by Jerri Reddies and Barbara Bruner. They began a campaign to have the area join the Vancouver Island Regional Library system. During the next three years, several letters of inquiry were sent to Fred White, the director of the VIRL and to Port Hardy council members and citizens, looking for a place suitable to house a larger library. It was not until 1972 that accommodation could be found, when the District of Port Hardy purchased the old Ecumenical Church building. This was moved to a spot between the Fire Hall and the North Island Gazette office, and then later to a site in Carrot Park.

The VIRL opened its Port Hardy branch in the old church building in October 1972. Joel Scott was the Area Librarian for the North Island and Barbara Bruner and Grace Nicholls were the branch staff. When Nicholls resigned her position it was filled by Kirsten Fleming who later left to join the school library. Nan Reynolds then joined the staff.

The little church building served very well in the first few years, but as circulation and daily use increased it began to almost burst at the seams.  Alderman Peterson headed the building committee which worked very hard at fund-raising, planning, and organizing the construction of a new library/museum building.

Then in 1979, the staff and current Area Librarian, Anna O’Brien moved into the new complex on Market Street.

1990 was a year of much activity as VIRL’s computer system was replaced and all of the books in the system has to be barcoded. In 1991, it was decided to open the branch on Saturdays, and another staff position was created. Diane Newman joined Branch Head Bruner and Branch Assistant Nan Reynolds.

In 1994, Port Hardy’s Library went on-line. This required some renovations to the building and staff training.

1995 and 1996 brought more changes to the branch as Librarian Sharon Walker moved to Sidney Branch and Shirley Milligan assumed her role.

A large bear sculpture was erected outside the library in the garden and a beautifully carved cub became the library mascot, standing just inside the entrance. The Island Copper Mine closed over a period of years with the shutdown complete in 1996. This caused many changes in the community, including a drop in library use resulting in a reduction of hours of service and the layoff of Newman.