Monday March 28, 2022 | SOOKE, BC
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
The new Sooke Library has a round design. It’s eye-catching from the outside, and provides an enjoyable active interior space.
It’s the newest of the branches within the Vancouver Island Regional Library system. Construction began in the fall of 2020. The branch finally opened last month, on February 25, 2022.
Since then, the community has “flocked to the library” says David Carson, VIRL Director of Corporate Communications.
The official grand opening was to be held March 26, but due to the current job action by librarians that Sooke Library VIRL event has been postponed.
Functional and aesthetic:
“The unique and eye-catching design has several purposes, both functional and aesthetic,” says David Carson, VIRL Director of Corporate Communications.
“During early floor planning discussions with the library, specifically about how best to integrate the stairway from the lower level, the project architect conceptualized the library in the round which solved what were considered to be alignment issues,” he told Island Social Trends this week.
Carson points out that a round building also allows the Information Desk to be centered in the space and creates clear sight lines.
“The building’s exterior stands out and positions the library as a key landmark in the community,” says Carson.
The new Sooke Library is at 6671 Wadams Way, a road that didn’t even exist yet when library discussions began between VIRL and the District of Sooke around 2009.
Registrations on the upswing:
Since opening February 25, within the first 30 days the branch saw a surge in VIRL card registrations, as many as 25 per day.
Most of the 663 registrations at the new branch have been registrations by adults (56.5%) and young children (29.9%), also with some registrations by youth ages 13 to 18 (13.6%).
===== RELATED:
BCGEU librarians reject latest VIRL offer & escalate strikes (March 24, 2022)
VIRL receives librarian counter-proposal (March 22, 2022)
Strike Day 16: picketing at Sooke Library (March 18, 2022)
VIRL postpones Sooke Library grand opening due to librarian strike (March 13, 2022)
New Sooke Library set to open after Family Day 2022 (February 10, 2022)