Just Ask: What Else Can You Do with Your Library Card? Gibsons Public Library Edition
Hayley Toth | Sunshine Coast Resource Centre
When you think about the library, do you picture rows of books and quiet reading spaces? While books remain at the heart of the library, the Gibsons & District Public Library offers much more—and many of these free resources may be going unused simply because people don’t know they exist. Your library card can give you access to a surprising range of resources, services, programs and experiences.
Through the Library of Things, patrons can borrow items that go well beyond books. The collection includes household items such as sewing machines and a thermal camera, technology such as a podcasting kit, and Get Outside kits with items like pickleball sets and solar chargers. There are also educational board games, including The Truth in Truth and Reconciliation game, available in adult and elementary versions, as well as a telescope and so much more.
The library also offers a wide range of programs for people of all ages. Children and families can take part in activities such as LEGO Builders Club, arts and crafts, storytimes and seasonal reading programs. Adults can join programs such as Philosophy Café, meditation and community knitting. The library also hosts programs that connect people with community services, including Welcoming Communities, which supports newcomers with settling in, accessing services, learning skills and making connections.
The library also works to bring its services into the community. Homebound Library Services provides library materials to people who are unable to visit the library because of chronic illness, vision loss or mobility concerns. The service area includes Langdale, Gibsons, Elphinstone and Roberts Creek.
Gibsons & District Public Library also offers a monthly pop-up library at Christensen Village, helping residents access books and other library materials and get set up with library cards. A remote library locker at the Gibsons & Area Community Centre allows patrons to pick up their holds and return books. You may also see the library at community events, where pop-ups offer activities for children and help residents learn more about what they can access with their library card.
And then there are the digital resources. Children and teens can access Comics Plus, offering thousands of digital comics, graphic novels and manga with no holds, waitlists or monthly borrowing limits. LOTE4Kids provides digital picture books in multiple world languages, helping children enjoy stories while supporting multilingual families.
Adults can access databases such as Consumer Reports, which provides ratings and recommendations for products including appliances, vehicles and electronics—potentially saving you the cost of a paid subscription.
A library card can help you learn, explore, create, save money and connect with your community. If you have a library card but haven’t explored the Gibsons & District Public Library recently, it may be worth taking another look.
You can visit the library at 470 South Fletcher Road in Gibsons, call 604-886-2130 or email gdplinfo@gibsonslibrary.ca. The library is open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed Sundays and statutory holidays. You can also find the library’s catalogue, programs and online resources at gibsonslibrary.ca.
You may be surprised by what you can borrow, access and discover—for free.