Our History
20+ Years Supporting the Library
The Library Foundation was established as a registered charity in November 2001. Our legal name is the Gibsons & District Library Foundation Society.
Why a Library Foundation?
In autumn of 2001, the construction of the current library building (at 470 South Fletcher) had just been completed and there was a surplus from the building funds. The Library Board and committed community members wanted to protect those funds so that they could be used in the future.
This was a concern because the SCRD had become a funder of the library in 2001 and provincial rules govern the use of tax money from year to year. So it became important to separate donated funds for capital projects (like the construction of the new building) from operational funds that were coming from government. As a way to achieve this, the Library Board encouraged the formation of a separate foundation.
Shortly afterwards, one of the community members involved left a bequest to the Foundation, starting our endowment fund, which has been added to over the years through donations, bequests, fundraising events and prudent investing.
Our History, Year by Year
2001-2002
Gayle Neilson and Lynne Geiki were founding members and the first chair was Barbara Greenlaw.
During the first year, the Foundation was established under the BC Societies Act, and the directors developed a constitution and policies for governance, administration, fundraising and management of funds. The policies directed the Foundation to fundraise through an annual mail campaign and to solicit donations from corporations and estates. The Foundation received the surplus funds from the Library (over $50,000) and invested them.
We had to defer additional fundraising activities until charitable status could be confirmed. The Foundation requested that status in summer of 2002 and received it in November of that year.
2004
That year, Vern Giesbrecht was Chair, Gayle Neilson was Secretary and Lynda Coote was one of the Foundation's directors.
Jean Mainil left a bequest to the Foundation in 2004. Later that year she and her husband were recognized at the Library's 90th anniversary.
Designer Roger Handling created the Foundation's logo, letterhead and bookmark design and work started on a web page to go on the Library’s website. We created a membership database and designed new membership and donor recognition forms
The Foundation provided funds to assist the Library with Online Public Access computer tables, fixed periodical shelving and the Coast Reads One Book project.
2005
We rewrote the Policies and Procedures and a page about the Foundation was put up on the Library website.
We held our first A Way with Words awareness and fundraising event. The Foundation received about $15,000 worth of donations this year, including including a single donation of $5k from a donor who declined public recognition.
The Foundation donated $9,600 to the Library for the purchase of six barcode scanners and EnvisionWare PC booking software.
2006
During 2006, we launched our own website (at gibsonslibraryfoundation.org) and created a planned giving brochure called A Lasting Memory.
The Foundation provided the Library with $5,750 for the purchase of a multimedia projector, multimedia cabinet, a replacement of the window covering in the Mainil Room, and four leather armchairs for the reading room.
2007
That year, we started accepting online donations on our website using the fundraising platform CanadaHelps. (CanadaHelps takes care of providing receipts to donors, which freed up the volunteer Board members' time to address other tasks.)
We held our first Christmas Lights for Literacy campaign, which raised $1,450 for the purchase of large print and audio books. and were pleased to be involved with the Library's Harry Potter book release event.
In 2007, the Library Foundation donated $7,460 to the Library for the purchase of fifty copies of the new Harry Potter book, a book check unit for use with the new materials security system, two receipt printers for the materials check out, and five bistro tables and chairs.
2008
In 2008, we held another Christmas Lights for Literacy campaign (with two corporate sponsors) which raised $2,633 for the purchase of large print and audio books.
That year, the Library Foundation donated $3,650 to the Library for the purchase of a disc repair machine for DVDs, CDs and games, floor pillows for the Children's Section and a contribution towards the expansion of the audio media book collection.
2009
In March, we held an event called A Way with Words, which raised $2,400.
The Foundation gave a $3,000 donation to the Library in February of 2009.
2010
In 2010 the Foundation developed a long-term effective investment policy.
$5,700 was donated to the Library, bringing the overall total donated since the Library Foundation started to about $47,000! Among the items purchased with the year's funds were an upgraded Microsoft Office package for the public Internet stations and replacement of wicker chairs throughout the Library.
2011
That year, another A Way with Words event was held at Gibsons Community Centre.
The Library's eBook Reader Loans pilot project received an enthusiastic response from donors, enabling the Foundation to give $3,000 to the Library for the purchase of twelve eBook readers loaded with books, which promptly went into circulation. An additional $3,000 was given to the Library for furniture renewals and other library improvements.
Corporate sponsors that year included Telus, Sunshine Coast Credit Union and Gibsons Building Supplies.
2012
In 2012, a children's education program at the library was sponsored by the Foundation. $2,000 were donated for iPads to be used for child education in the areas of English language arts, science, art, music and creativity. The program also included bringing Science World on the Road to the Library, which featured a collection of Science World's most popular, interactive demonstrations.
Corporate sponsors that year included Gibsons Building Supplies, Sunshine Coast Credit Union and Turenne Concrete.
2013
2013 was a year of change for the Foundation, with a completely new Board coming up to speed. In the leadup to the 100 year anniversary of the Gibsons & District Public Library, we revamped our website and put up a display in the Library to raise awareness of the Foundation and its work.
$5,000 was presented to the Library that year, to hire consultants for the redesign of empty space at the entrance of the Library.
2014
The Foundation celebrated the 100 year anniversary of the Gibsons & District Public Library!
This year, $5,000 was presented to the Library to purchase computer tablets and relevant attachments.
2015
In December, the Foundation presented $5,000 towards the cost of enhanced exterior signage for the Library.
2016
In June, we presented $35,000 towards the Library's Reconfiguration Project to make better use of existing space in the Library. We also contributed an additional sum to revamp the Children's Section.
The Town of Gibsons declared February "Love Your Library Month" at our request. Unfortunately, snowstorms that month meant that we could not hold the fundraising initiatives we'd hoped to.
2018
In 2018, the Foundation funded various items for the Library's growing Digital Literacy initiatives and planned the Giving Tree fundraiser, to raise additional funds for these.
2019
In 2019, the Foundation held the Giving Tree fundraiser, which exceeded its goal of $6500, allowing us to contribute $8965 to the Library. Our thanks go out to Library Director Heather Evans-Cullen and the Library's outstanding staff, whose collaboration with us made this possible.
The funds raised were earmarked for a "long overdue state-of-the-art multimedia presentation system [which] will not only support ongoing digital literacy programs, [but] also enhance the library’s ability to provide the best possible presentations, readings and audience participation experiences for its patrons of all ages."
2020
With the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, 2020 was a challenging year for everyone, the Library and Library Foundation included. By operating curbside pickup and returns, the Library met the challenges and continued to operate, even though the doors had to be closed to the public.
That year the Foundation started meeting virtually using online software and updated its constitution and bylaws, in part due to changes in the Societies Act of BC, the governing Act under which the Gibsons & District Library Foundation Society operates.
Our plans to hold another Giving Tree fundraiser had to be put on hold, but we were able to start selling Sa Boothroyd's 10 Reasons to Visit the Gibsons Public Library tea towels. We also focused our energy toward administrative and organization aspects, including developing an investment policy and updating our Policies and Procedures manual.
The Library requested - and we provided - funds for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) kits, which can be used by children and adults. These kits can be signed out of the library just like other materials and proved popular with parents who were homeschooling during the pandemic.
We provided a total of $15,000 for STEAM kits from 2020 to 2022, which funded replacements and maintenance for these kits as needed.
2021
In 2021, Covid-19 continued to impact our ability to hold public events for fundraising.
We used the time to prepare a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation of a new website for the Foundation, look into options for a Client Relationship Management (CRM) platform for connecting with membership and donors, and continue improving our administrative and organizational practices.
We had been fortunate with our investment choices over the years, which allowed us to continue funding annual requests from the Library for STEAM kits during the years of the pandemic.
2022
2022 marked our first in person AGM since 2019, following several years of meeting virtually.
We were delighted to be able to provide over $35k of funds for the purchase and installation of a book locker at the Gibsons Community Centre in Upper Gibsons. This locker allows people to pick up and drop off materials without having to travel down the steep road to the Library in Lower Gibsons.
In addition, we continued to provide our annual $5k funding for STEAM kits, and we committed to provide $5,000 annually from 2023 to 2025 for STEAM kits.
We also hosted an information table at Sunnycrest Mall during the Christmas Market in November, where we raised awareness of the Library Foundation and its work and sold the tea towels that Sa Boothroyd had generously designed for us.
We learned that we were beneficiaries of an estate which would add to our endowment fund, so we revisited our investment policy to ensure it reflects the current times and financial climate.
Finally, we contracted Alison Taylor of Digital Dandelion Web Studio to prepare content and construct a new website for the Library Foundation.
2023
Much of the work on our new website was completed in 2023, with the site to be launched prior to our AGM in 2024. We also updated our logo with new colours and typeface.
We spent a couple of days at the Sunnycrest Mall Holiday Market promoting the Foundation and selling tea towels. This event raised almost $1,000.
This was the second year of a three-year agreement to fund STEAM kits and their maintenance. This year the Library used some of the $5,000 payment to purchase new kits covering a diverse range of interests. The kits are very popular and often have a waitlist.
The Library approached the Foundation to request funding for a Youth Area Enhancement Project. To get the project started and supplies ordered, the Foundation provided $30,000 to the Library in 2023 as an initial payment towards the project. In addition, we will be contributing approximately $25,000 in 2024 to facilitate completion.
We were very fortunate to have received a substantial bequest from Joe Peters in 2023 and part of this generous bequest will be used to finance the Youth Area Enhancement Project. The balance will be invested to keep on giving into the future.