Kayla News

Temporary Outage Affecting Library Services

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.

Email: library@squamish.ca
Phone: 604-892-3110

Kayla Foyer Gallery

Birds & Words

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.

Kayla Foyer Gallery

Lucie Vojnarova: The Art of Dreaming

Acrylic Paintings and Accessories

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.

Contact: Email | Instagram

View Virtual Gallery
Kayla Foyer Gallery

Kim Sawula: Experiments with Color and Shape

On Now: July 10 – September 11, 2024.

Mixed Media Abstract Paintings

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.

Contact: Website | Instagram

View Virtual Gallery


Kayla News

Notification of Privacy Breach

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.

It is our understanding that the most likely risk from this information leaking is it being used to generate spam or phishing messages. We highly recommend you refer to https://antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/scams-fraudes/phishing-hameconnage-eng.htm for more information.

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.

Kayla Uncategorized

Indigenous History and Resources

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.

Library Resources for Adults

First Nations Legends & Stories

First and second-hand accounts of legends and stories of First Nations (including Squamish Nation)

Indigenous Canada

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

Squamish Nation Resources

Resources, history, and interviews related to the Squamish Nation and its members, customs, traditions, and history.

Residential Schools

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.

Library Resources for Children

Picture Books About First Nations & Metis People

Children’s books about First Nations stories and lives, including Squamish Nation and Coast Salish stories.

Browse

Picture Books About Inuit People

Children’s books about the Inuit people. Related lists: First Nations Picture Books; Squamish Nation and Coast Salish Children’s Books

Browse

Picture Books About Residential Schools

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.

Browse

Picture Books About Squamish Nation & Coast Salish People

Children’s books specifically about the Coast Salish and Squamish Nation peoples, including fiction and non-fiction.

Browse

External Resources

Squamish Nation Talking Dictionary

This Ta wa níchim sḵexwts (the Talking Dictionary) helps you pronounce words in the Squamish Nation language.

First Peoples Map of BC

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.

Read more about what reconciliation is (and what it isn’t) in this blog post.

Indigenous Corporate Training

Indigenous Corporate Training Inc. (ICT) provides training to support their mission of Indigenous Peoples training for everyone.

Their comprehensive resources include a list of free e-books.

Indigenous Canada Open Online Course

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.

Squamish Atlas

An online Skwxwú7mesh language place name map tool.

Skwxwú7mesh Language Videos

Learn how to pronounce place names in Skwxwú7mesh.

Ta na wa Ns7éyx̱nitm ta Snew̓iyálh – Language & Cultural Affairs have created a series of language videos on pronouncing place names along the Sea to Sky Highway as well as other words in Skwxwú7mesh.

How to Read the Squamish Language

Learn how to read the Squamish language.

NAtional indigenous HIstory Month

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 as Orange 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: