Write to Read BC

Tag: BC

  • Gitsegukla library installed

    After a long drive from Prince George, the installation team arrived in Gitsegukla at 2:45pm on a Tuesday, ready to install a library for the school and community.

    The installation took 3 days, and the efforts of an incredible group of volunteers, including members of Write to Read BC’s library response team.

    The entrance of Gitsegukla library.
    A literacy-focused addition to the community.

    On arrival, the library response team swung into action, with the school staff and principal Louise Ormerod. Once the furniture was unloaded, the library response team started organizing the layout of the learning centre, with its internet connection that allows remote attendance at courses and conferences..

    Delivering books at Gitsegukla library.
    Volunteers unloading a delivery of library books.

    Fetching sponsors

    On Day 1, the team started early and progressed well. Total Support Services Chief executive officer Chris Gillen made a “quick” 3-hour return trip to Terrace to fetch more shelving tabs and an HDMI cable for the TV.

    Chris Gillen, CEO of Total Support Solutions, helping to install the Gitsegukla library.
    Chris Gillen of Total Support helps troubleshoot the learning centre’s computers at no cost.

    How Total Support Services joined Write to Read BC

    At a Victoria-Harbourside Rotary Club meeting a few weeks before the Gitsegukla library and its learning centre were installed, Write to Read BC co-lead Bob Blacker was giving a presentation about the program, by video call. One of the audience members mentioned that her son-in-law was working with First Nations to provide computers, IT solutions, and training. A few days later Bob received a call from Chris at Total Support, expressing interest. As a result of this connection, Write to Read BC now has a supplier of computers and related hardware needed for learning centres. In addition, Total Support will, at no cost to the libraries—provide online support for any computer problems that surface. This has been huge for Write to Read BC, as support for computers has always been a concern; now we do not have to worry about that.

    After 3 days of hard work, the Write to Read BC team, along with principal Ormerod and her staff, completed Write to Read’s very first “version 3” learning centre.

    We had some hiccups over the three days, which is to be expected, but we were able to prevail. The new library and resource centre looks great.

    The team was invited for dinner.

    The team that installed Gitsegukla library.
    The satisfied team that installed the library and learning centre.

    Gitsegukla Chief and council

    Overlooking Princess Lake, the Write to Read BC team were able to meet with Chief Willie and three council members. This allowed members of the team to chat with key members of the community. The evening ended with a handshake between Chief Willie and Leader of the Write to Read BC team co-lead, Bob Blacker, cementing the agreement and the blossoming friendship and trust with Gitsegukla.

    As one of the library response team members said: “This is what makes it all worth it.”

    After installing a library, what's next? The design response team's Scott Kemp introduces an imagineering session so the community can capture their ideas.
    An imagineering session: What does the community’ envision next?

    The evening was topped off with an imagineering session, lead by design response team member, Scott Kemp. This was also a new experience for the Write to Read BC team.

    Large screen and computer table, at Gitsegukla library.
    Key components of the learning centre: a large screen and a computer table.
    Processing newly arrived books at Gitsegukla library, in a well-lit space that also serves as a classroom.
    At this point still a warehouse of books, this room will soon be a classroom.

  • Five libraries ready to install

    Over the next few months, we’ll be installing furniture and books at five locations, ranging from Vancouver to BC’s interior. Most of these libraries are linked to a community school or preschool, including in Squamish Nation, Tsideldel First Nation, Williams Lake First nation, and Aboriginal Mothers Care Centre.

    • Gitsegukla, in the Skeena region of west central BC, on the southeast side of the Skeena River adjacent to the Kitseguecla River mouth, near New Hazleton, BC.
    • Learning Centre at Tsideldel First Nation, located in the Chilcotin region of BC’s western central interior.
    • Littlest People Elementary School, a Homulchesan school in the Squamish Nation, next to the mouth of the Capilano River, in Greater Vancouver.
    • Aboriginal Mothers Care Centre in Vancouver’s downtown eastside neighbourhood. It’s a place where Aboriginal mothers, babies, and children can come to be together as a family.
    • Little Chiefs Elementary School library in Williams Lake First Nation, which is located in the Cariboo region of BC’s central interior, at Williams Lake.

  • Thomas Kero mural

    Need to brighten up your cloudy day? Stop by our Bella Bella library/office and check out this beautiful new mural by Thomas Kero! Photos don’t do it justice. There are so many hidden creatures and special features nestled into the summertime foliage. 

    Thomas Kero mural.
    A mural painted on the Bella Bella library. Kero wants the town to be as beautiful as the surrounding landscape.

  • Rocky Pines library nearly ready

    Write to Read BC’s 17th library is getting ready for its official opening, after the recent installation of shelves and books by Write to Read BC volunteers.

    Preparations involved a trip on the high seas by BC Ferry to the Nanaimo Correctional Centre to pick up furniture build for the library, and a visit to the Write to Read storage locker, provided by U-Lock Storage, to pick up a shipment of books.

    Rocky Pines building before the library was installed.
    The final touches: the outside of the Rocky Pines community building before the library was installed in one of its rooms.

    The library response team, volunteers Margaret, Carol, Liz, and Marion, made the trip to the Rocky Pines community, sometimes called the Lower Nicola Indian Band, near Merritt, BC, where they coordinated with local volunteers to prepare the furniture, shelves, and books for the library’s opening. Other volunteers later set up the TV and computers for the library’s learning centre, which will offer remote attendance to courses and conferences via Internet.

    Still to come is an amazing donation of new Indigenous-authored books from GoodMinds.com. This donation of 1,000 books for readers from pre-schoolers to adults, is an $18,000 gift to the community.

    In the Rocky Pines community centre, a space is ready for the library.
    A team visit to the community centre shows it’s ready for the library response team to install the shelves, seating, books, and technology.

  • Xeni Gwet’in

    About the community

    Xeni Gwet’in First Nations Government, part of the Tŝilhqot’in Nation, is about 200 km west of Williams Lake, BC. Tŝilhqot’in is often translated as People of the River, or People of the Blue Water. 

    About one third of the Xeni Gwet’in community’s 400 members lives on their traditional territory. The people in Xeni Gwet’in maintain their land and their system of governance, as they always have. The land is a unique ecosystem, mountainous, crossed by glacial waterways and covered in forest. The government works towards community self-governance, with an emphasis on unity, respect, trust, and pride in the Tsilhqot’in heritage, language, and culture. The goals of Xeni Gwet’in government are to conserve the natural resources of its territory, keep the ecosystem healthy, in an economically sustainable way.

    The band runs the local roads yard as well as a gas-bar, and built a housing subdivision with its own electrical grid, since the community is not connected to the main BC Hydro grid. The band manages its health program, and the local school serves Kindergarten to Grade 8 in three classrooms. Its teachers are long-term residents.

    About the library

    In partnership with the community, Write to Read BC discussed the vision for a library, which was then designed and constructed.

  • Library design with kids

    Write to Read BC’s design response team visited the Sxoxomic Community School at Esk’etemc, and ended up designing a library with the kids. Although the students are not designers, they have clear ideas about how to lay out their library.

    Sxoxomic Community School, an elementary school in Esk'etemc.
    This beautiful new school did not yet have a library.

    Our co-lead Dr Shirley-Pat Gale heard from new elementary school’s principal that the school does not yet have a library.

    Gale, brought in Write to Read BC’s design response team, architect Scott Kemp, and co-lead Bob Blacker. The team mixed with grade 7 students, and magical things happened.

    During an amazing lunch-and-design session with the kids, the team designed its layout, including where the new shelving would be placed. The shelves will be made by the Nanaimo Correctional Centre. All that remains is for library response team lead Margaret Fletcher to visit the school to review what books they’d like, and then the school can contact our Aboriginal book distributor GoodMinds.com and Jeff Burnham to purchase the aboriginal authored books that will make their library suit the community.

    This was Write to Read BC’s first design session with students from an elementary school, and it was a success.

  • Nisaika Kumtuks library opens

    Write to Read BC celebrated the grand opening of its 16th library and learning centre, Nisaika Kumtuks school, the little school with a huge heart.

    Lieutenant-governor of BC Judith Guichon attended, along with members of the school.

    One of the students, David, greeted Guichon, before taking part in a procession. The children performed a drumming song, and read a story for Guichon. To conclude the ceremony, the school library received its formal name—one that its students chose.

    In addition to books that appeal to students from Kindergarten to Grade 4, the school also offers online attendance to online courses and conferences from its learning centre. The library is equipped with four iPads, 2 all-in-one Hewlett Packard computers, and a TV with video conferencing capabilities. This benefit the students as well as their parents. School principal Heather Goodall will open the school library to parents of its students. This gives parents have access to the Internet and to online learning, as well.

    The TV screen, a donation that Write to Read BC arranged, was a pleasant surprise to Goodall.

    The shelving was made especially for the library by inmates at the Nanaimo Correctional Centre. Write to Read BC co-lead Bob Blacker said: “They do amazing work, and are very proud of their contribution to our libraries.”

  • Interview with Write to Read BC co-lead

    While attending a Rotary Club leadership conference, Write to Read BC co-lead Dr Shirley-Pat Gale was interviewed by Rotarian David Mangs about her work with libraries, literacy, and Write to Read BC.

    During the video interview, Gale told the story of the child who inspired her to start providing not only books but spaces for libraries in isolated BC communities.

    Interviewer David Mangs is a past district governor of Rotary district 7890. Mangs begins the interview by explaining the goals of Rotary Clubs, and by introducing Gale.

  • Haida Gwaii Old Massett library opens

    With much of the community in attendance, Haida Gwaii opened its new library on April 25, 2017. Community leaders want the aboriginal library to promote literacy and encourage a love of learning in Old Massett.

    Old Massett is on the north end of Graham Island in Haida Gwaii, a group of islands off the BC coast, near Alaska.

    The idea for this library began with Literacy Haida Gwaii, about three years ago. The community received $60,000 in sponsorship when the literacy society partnered with Write to Read BC, Rotary Club, and Government House.

    To get started, the project received $5,000 for books and resources. The library also has two computers, with Internet access. Community members now have access to resources beyond Old Massett.

    Judith Guichon, lieutenant-governor of BC, attended the library opening, along with Chris Neufeld of Britco Structures (now Boxx Modular).

    Britco sponsors the Write to Read BC project by donating modular buildings and paying to ship them to isolated communities that want a library. The Old Massett module was shipped free of charge by BC Ferries. Vancouver Island Regional Library will help train volunteers to manage the library database. London drugs donated computers.

  • Library interest in Nemiah Valley

    Spurred by the Write to Read BC library projects in Toosey and Stone, Indigenous community Nemiah Valley, has approached us about a community library.

    Nemiah Valley, BC, is home to the Xeni Gwet’in band of the Tsilhqot’in people. This community is on Chilco Lake, a 4½-hour drive from Williams Lake. This has logistical challenges for the project.

    Members of the Rotary Club relayed to us that community members are very excited that something like this is available to them.

    Dr Shirley-Pat Gale, our co-lead, has made contact with the community, and will help set up an initial meeting in which the community can tell us what they want from a library.