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All of our branches will be closed for Victoria Day on Monday, May 18th, but our e-library is always open. Start exploring…

News and Stories

CELA for Kids and Teens

January 29, 2026

CELA, The Centre For Equitable Library Access, offers a large selection of accessible materials for young people with print disabilities. …

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Read Local BC Collection

April 30, 2025

Features over 450 titles published in BC. Access: VIRL resident cardholders from anywhere. Also available through other BC libraries

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Libby (OverDrive)

December 11, 2023

The Libby App by OverDrive is the easiest way to access our OverDrive eBook, Audiobook, and Magazine Collection. Access in …

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CELA

June 19, 2020

CELA is the Centre for Equitable Library Access, which provides access to a collection of over 700,000 books, magazines, newspapers …

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NNELS

June 18, 2020

NNELS is the National Network for Equitable Library Service, an online public library of downloadable ebooks and audiobooks for people …

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KnowBC

September 17, 2018

KnowBC is the online portal for Harbour Publishing, an independent publisher based on the Sunshine Coast that focuses on British …

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TumbleBookLibrary

August 13, 2018

An online collection of animated picture books, audiobooks, graphic novels, children’s classics, early reader chapter books, and National Geographic videos. …

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OverDrive and Libby

August 13, 2018

OverDrive is our main eBook and eAudiobook platform. It also includes over 4000 magazines. All you need to get started …

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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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