Our library system will be undergoing upgrades that will affect access on Sunday, October 20th and Monday, October 21st 2024.
What services will be affected?
During the downtime, the following services will be temporarily unavailable:
Online access to your library account.
Self-checkout machines in the library.
Placing new holds.
Loanable tablets.
What services are still available?
The library will remain open during the scheduled downtime, and many services will still be available to you, including:
Checking out items*.
Returning items.
Picking up holds.
Public computers (see the information desk for a guest pass).
Printing, copying, and scanning.
Booking pods/study spaces.
Digital resources (Libby, Kanopy, LinkedIn Learning, etc).
*NOTE: During this downtime, staff will not be able to look up your library card number for you, so please be sure to bring your library card with you if you want to borrow something!
Thank you for your patience as we work with our service provider to implement these updates.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
Test your French and English listening comprehension skills with audio and video content from CBC and Radio-Canada. Create a free account, no library card needed.
Birds & Words celebrates local artist collaborations, the birds of Squamish, and their special habitats in our region. This travelling exhibit, a cohesive mosaic, showcases how words and visual art can complement one another to create a novel, impactful art installation and environmental message.
Project is led by Toby Jaxon, Tatiana Lee, and Zoe Evamy. They are dedicated to promoting and supporting local emerging and established artists, providing opportunities for creative expression and dialogue within our community to support local conservation initiatives. The B&RDS ‘n W&RDS team is grateful for support from the Squamish Arts 2024 Arts & Culture Grant.
Lucie Vojnarova, originally from the Czech Republic, now finds artistic inspiration amidst the stunning landscapes of Squamish, BC. Her art, focused on mountains, moons, and skies, serves as a heartfelt expression of her deep connection to nature.
Through her artwork, Lucie aims to transport viewers to her magical world, fostering a sense of wonder and reverence for the natural environment.
Kim Sawula is an abstract painter living and working in Paradise Valley, BC. She grew up in Edmonton, Alberta, moved to the West Coast and has worked as an artist for the last ten years. Her practice is influenced by the basic human tendency to be close to the natural world. She explores this connection by using a soft harmonious rhythm of colour, form and balance in her paintings.
On April 25, 2024, we were notified by the BC Libraries Cooperative (the Co-op) that that they had experienced a privacy breach. The Co-op provides our library’s ILS (integrated library system) known as Sitka, and this breach affected all Sitka libraries. Log file data from a new logging server the Co-op had just implemented on their new cloud hosting infrastructure was breached. The files contained the email addresses and phone numbers of patrons who had received automated notifications from the library system (i.e., checkout notices, overdue notices, hold notifications) between March 27 and April 19, 2024.
Only the email addresses of people who received notifications (or the phone number of people who received SMS notifications) were leaked. The content of the notifications was NOT leaked. The leaked data does not say what the notifications were about, and it does NOT reveal any other information about patrons or their library use, such as checkouts and holds. Names and addresses were not shared; since this breached information cannot be linked with individual files, we have assessed the privacy risk to be low. The Co-op regrets that this happened and is working with the software provider to ensure this issue is resolved and does not occur again.
In addition, it may increase the likelihood of spear phishing messages – which often exploit known existing relationships. Spear phishing messages pretend to be from a person or system you are known to communicate with. Please know that the library will NEVER ask you for your password nor any other sensitive email like social insurance or banking information, nor ask for funds from you.
If you receive any message that appears to be from the library but is asking for any of these things, do not hesitate to follow up by calling us directly at (604) 892-3110 if you are at all unsure of its truthfulness. We are in touch with the Co-op for any updates or developments and will keep patrons informed if we receive any additional information.
Kermode analyzes webpages for 20 different elements to assess for accuracy, bias, and timeliness. Access key = first five digits of your library card barcode.
The Squamish Public Library has materials for all ages to learn about Indigenous history, including the Indian Residential School experience and the ongoing Truth & Reconciliation process.
Below you will find suggested resources, both from the library and elsewhere.
Resources that highlight national and local Indigenous-settler relations, both historic and contemporary. These resources explore key issues facing Indigenous peoples from an Indigenous perspective
Library materials relating to the Residential School experience in Canada, including first person accounts from survivors, books for children, and the final report of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
Children’s books that reflect on the residential school experience in different ways. These have all been identified as age-appropriate for children under 12 by reputable organizations, like FNESC and Project of Heart. Adapted from CBC’s reading list.
Explore and contribute to the interactive map of the Indigenous Languages, Arts and Heritage in B.C.
Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada: 94 Calls to Action
In 2015, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (TRC) published its final report detailing the experiences and impacts of the residential school systems.
One outcome of the report was a document detailing 94 calls to action across a wide range of areas.
Indigenous Canada Open Online Course is a 12-lesson free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) from the University of Alberta’s Faculty of Native Studies that explores Indigenous histories and contemporary issues in Canada.
Indigenous Podcasts
Vancouver Public Library Indigenous Storyteller in Residence Kung Jaadee shares this list of top podcasts by Indigenous creators keeping the storytelling tradition alive.
Squamish Nation Stories from the Heart
This six-part Squamish Historical Society documentary, Stories from the Heart, opens a window on the Squamish Nation from the early 20th century to the present, through original video footage, archival and family photos and personal reminiscences.
First People of the Pacific Northwest: The Photography of Edward S. Curtis
This Squamish Historical Society video documentary is based on selected images of Indigenous People from the State of Washington, British Columbia, and the coast of Alaska, captured by frontier photographer Edward S. Curtis between 1896 and 1930, during his journey across North America.
In June, Canadians celebrate National Indigenous History Month to honour the history, heritage and diversity of Indigenous peoples in Canada. It is also an opportunity to recognize the strength of present-day Indigenous communities. (Source: rcaanc-cirnac.gc.ca)
June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This is a day for all Canadians to recognize and celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples.
NAtional Day for truth and REconciliation
September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The federal statutory holiday, established in 2021, honours those who survived residential schools, those whose lives were lost and those whose suffering and trauma is ongoing. September 30 is also known asOrange Shirt Day, a day for Canadians to raise awareness of the history, harm and legacies of the Canadian residential school system by wearing the colour orange.
This holiday was established in response to Call to Action 80 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “We call upon the federal government, in collaboration with Aboriginal peoples, to establish, as a statutory holiday, a National Day for Truth and Reconciliation to honour Survivors, their families, and communities, and ensure that public commemoration of the history and legacy of residential schools remains a vital component of the reconciliation process.”
PAST EVENTS
In 2021, the library honoured the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, by listening to Squamish Nation Elders. You can watch the recording of Honouring Residential School Survivors online:
Namwayut – An Evening with Chief Robert Joseph (recording) On April 12, 2023, we had the honor of hosting Chief Robert Joseph in Squamish to speak about his new book Namwayut: A Pathway to Reconciliation. Chief Joseph spoke about his experience at St. Michael’s Indian Residential School, his own immense work towards Reconciliation, and his vision for Canada and the world if we all take part in Reconciliation work. You can watch the recording of the event online:
Thousands of award-winning online art and craft classes taught by top designers and artists.
The Squamish Public Library is located within the Squamish Nation Traditional Territory Ha7lh en skwálwen Kwis tl’iknúmut tl’a Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw.
Our library system will be undergoing upgrades that will affect access to services on Sunday, October 20th and Monday, October 21st 2024. Click here for more details.
