News and Stories

Gabriola Island, BC – The Gabriola Island branch of Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) will be increasing its footprint to add on a meeting room in the coming months. Meeting rooms and study spaces are features of many branches in the library system, and the Gabriola Island branch was able to capitalize on an opportunity working with the neighbouring Royal LePage real estate office to acquire some additional space.

“This is a project I’ve wanted to undertake for a very long time as the idea of offering a meeting room space to our customers is one that makes a lot of sense to me. Libraries provide gathering places for communities to come together and I know it is needed on our island. The opportunity became available, the time was right, and I am delighted to finally share this news with Gabriolans,” says Amy Dawley, Assistant Director, Experience & Engagement (Central).

“Given how active the Gabriola Island branch is with programming, visiting speakers, and author visits, the addition of a meeting room space is going to give us a lot more flexibility to be able to accommodate everyone who wants to use our space,” says Jeff Strain, Customer Services Librarian II at the Gabriola Island branch. “We often have authors and visiting speakers that draw crowds big enough to fill our reading and study areas. Having this meeting room will help us ensure we are not displacing others who want to be studying or working. Also, being able to offer a separate, bookable space for groups is going to be a huge bonus.”

The project is underway and construction will be taking place in the coming months. The meeting room will be approximately 300 square feet and will be separated from the current space by an internal door off the foyer of the branch. VIRL staff are working on the final details, but the space will include furniture, equipment, and technology needed for small meetings.

For more Information
Jeff Strain
Customer Services Librarian II – Gabriola Island branch
250.247.7878
jstrain@virl.bc.ca