Richmond Public Library (Canada)
| Richmond Public Library | |
|---|---|
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 Entrance to the Richmond Cultural Centre, which houses the Brighouse branch | |
| Type | Public library |
| Established | 1975 |
Service area | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Branches | 4 |
| Collection | |
Items collected | books, e-books, cds, periodicals, local history, movies, TV shows, video games, board games |
| Size | 530,439 (2025)[1] |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 2,996,075 (2025)[1] |
Population served | 229,781 (2023)[2] |
| Members | 108,332 (2019)[3] |
| Other information | |
| Budget | CA$11,941,830 (2025)[1] |
Chief Librarian | Susan Walters[1] |
Board Chair | Denise Hui [1] |
| Employees | 138 |
| Affiliation | Public Library InterLINK Federation |
| Website | www |
Richmond Public Library (RPL) is a public library that serves Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. The library has four branches in the city: Brighouse (Main), Steveston, Ironwood, and Cambie. RPL also offers limited Saturday pop-up services to the Hamilton neighbourhood.
The library has won numerous awards, including the John Cotton Dana Public Relations Award[4] in 2008 for its "Ralphy" library card for kids.
History
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Separation from the FVRL and independence (1976)
The modern era of Richmond's library system began in 1976, when the Richmond Municipal Council officially approved the establishment of the Richmond Public Library as an independent entity, separating from the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) network to provide dedicated, localized service for the growing community.[5]
The Centennial Project and Brighouse expansion (1979)
To solidify this independence, Richmond Council, led by Mayor Gil Blair, approved a $1 million allocation to expand the Brighouse Centre Library. This major investment was designated as Richmond’s official 1979 Centennial Project, celebrating the 100th anniversary of Richmond's municipal incorporation. The funding transformed the Brighouse branch into a true civic and administrative centrepiece at Minoru Gate, laying the groundwork for it to become the technological and multilingual hub it is today.[5]
Ironwood Branch Opens (1998)
In December 1998, the Richmond Public Library opened the Ironwood Branch in the Shellmont neighbourhood. The layout and operations of this branch was revolutionary at the time, mimicking the style of popular private bookstores at the time, such as Chapters and Indigo. This model set a new industry standard, catching the attention of major North American systems like the San Jose Public Library, which soon adopted the format.[6]
Present day
In February 2021, Richmond Public Library permanently eliminated late fines[7] to reduce barriers to accessing library services.
Branches
The system consists of four physical locations across Richmond’s island geography:
Brighouse (Main) Branch
Located within the Richmond Cultural Centre precinct at Minoru Gate, Brighouse serves as the system's main reference and administrative headquarters. It houses the system's digital creation stations, expansive multilingual resources, and specialized research archives.[8]
Steveston Branch
Situated in southwestern Richmond's historic maritime village, the branch has historically served as a localized neighbourhood anchor.
To replace the aging building built in 1957, the City of Richmond closed the building on December 1, 2025. The new Steveston branch is being constructed with a modern 60,000 sq-ft integrated facility combining the Steveston Community Centre and Library, with enhanced collections, children’s and youth spaces, educational program rooms and silent study spaces.[9]
Ironwood Branch
Located at Ironwood Plaza (No. 5 Road and Steveston Highway), this branch serves the Shellmont neighbourhood and its surrounding communities. It continues to utilize the front-facing merchandising layouts pioneered during its 1998 opening.[6]
Cambie Branch
Located on Cambie Road, the branch services East Richmond (including the West Cambie and East Cambie neighbourhoods).[8] The branch works in close proximity with the Friends of the Richmond Library (FOL)—a grassroots volunteer organization founded in 1972—which operates a permanent used bookstore nearby to fundraise for local book clubs and literacy programs.[10]
Book dispensers
In September 2018, Richmond Public Library launched a book dispensing machine in the Hamilton Community Centre, allowing nearby residents to access the library's collection.[11] A second machine was launched in the Minoru Centre for Active Living in February 2020.[12]
Services
The Richmond Public Library offers a variety of services, such as:
- Books, DVDs, magazines, video games in a variety of languages for children and adults
- E-books and audio books offered through Libby, a free app on iOS and Android by OverDrive, Inc.
- Birdwatching, Fishing, and Hiking ExplorePACKS
- Ukuleles, STEAM Kits, Podcasting kits, and Indigenous resource kits.
- Computer and Internet Workstations
- Silent study rooms
- Small bookable spaces for meetings
- Various programs for children and adults, including storytimes, ESL conversation circles, cultural festivals and presentations on a wide variety of topics.
The Launchpad
The Launchpad, which was established in 2014, is a makerspace in the Brighouse branch. 3D printers, Cricut machines, digitization stations, and scanners are provided.[13] Library users can submit files for 3D printing after completion of an online certification, with charges for material and printing time applied to their accounts. 3D printing is also available at the Ironwood Branch, and Cricut machines can also be found at the Ironwood and Steveston branches.
Special Collections
Special Collection on Chinese Culture (中華古今文獻精藏)
Reflecting the unique demographic composition of Richmond, the second floor of the Brighouse branch houses a major research repository dedicated to Chinese history, literature, and art.[14] The collection was founded in 2011 following a donation of 47,000 Chinese-language volumes by Dr. Kwok-Chu Lee (Master Lam Chun), an extensive collection evaluated by professionals as a significant cultural asset.[15] The curated public collection contains over 17,000 volumes, anchored by a Chinese Art Collection of more than 5,200 specialized reference works.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "RPL Annual Report 2025". Flowpaper. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "City Profile – City of Richmond, BC". City of Richmond. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ↑ "RPL2019Annual Report". online.flowpaper.com. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ↑ hwwilson: Retrieved on 4 January 2009
- 1 2 "Celebrating 50 years of stories". City of Richmond. 12 May 2026. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- 1 2 Miltham, Peter (2001). "Library's efficiency draws praise" (PDF). Business in Vancouver. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ Clarke, Kirsten (12 February 2021). "Richmond Public Library eliminates late fees for good". Richmond News. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- 1 2 "Hours & Locations". Richmond Public Library. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ Rantanen, Maria (25 August 2025). "Richmond under construction: From converted courthouse to 60K-square-foot community centre". Richmond News. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ "About". Friends of the Richmond Library. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ Chan, Kenneth (10 September 2018). "Richmond Public Library launches book dispenser machine technology". Daily Hive Vancouver. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- ↑ Leung, Valerie (16 February 2020). "Richmond senior center welcomes new book dispenser". Richmond News. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ↑ "Launchpad". Richmond Public Library. Retrieved 8 February 2025.
- ↑ "Special Collection on Chinese Culture". Richmond Public Library. Retrieved 7 July 2026.
- ↑ Leung, Valerie (8 October 2025). "Richmond library showcases special collection from donation of 127,000 books". Richmond News. Retrieved 7 July 2026.