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Canada Post strike action will affect some services at the Library, read more...

News and Stories

Canada Post Strike

October 23, 2025

Library users may experience delays during the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) work stoppage. This includes delays to the …

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It’s October Library Month!

October 3, 2025

Welcome to Vancouver Island Regional Library’s October I <3 Library Month! This October, Fall into everything that makes libraries incredible—especially …

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Updated Branch Hours

September 21, 2025

Updates to Our Library Hours – Here’s What You Need to Know Hey VIRL community! We wanted to let you …

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Fast Facts about Vancouver Island Regional Library

  • Vancouver Island Regional Library is the fifth largest library system in British Columbia.
  • Holdings at Vancouver Island Regional Library number almost one million and include books, magazines, CD’s and DVD’s. Card holders can borrow materials from any of our 39 locations.
  • In 2012 there were 2.6 million visits to our branches and our customers borrowed 4.6 million items.
  • Vancouver Island Regional Library opened its doors in 1936 as the Vancouver Island Union Library. We were the second regional library in North America.
  • With 39 branch libraries across the island, Vancouver Island Regional Library serves over 430,000 people on Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and the Central Coast (Bella Coola)

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