It’s been a hot minute since we made a stop on our virtual tour of Alberta’s public libraries. This month, we’re heading to the province’s southeast to check out the Brooks Public Library. The City of Brooks is located on Highway #1, about 190 kilometres southeast of Calgary and is home to about 15,000 people. Brooks sits in close proximity to three provincial parks: Dinosaur Provincial Park, Tillebrook Provincial Park, and Kinbrook Island Provincial Park, making it a popular summer destination. It’s also home to Canada’s second-largest beef processing facility, owned by JBS Canada, which employs over 2,000 people – many of whom are newcomers to Canada from countries all over the world.

In fact, Brooks is home to one of the most diverse communities in Alberta, with 48.6% (as of 2022) of the population belonging to a racialized group; the Black population alone accounts for 22.3% of residents. Brooks also has one of the youngest populations in Canada, with a median age of 37. A unique community like this one requires a unique approach to library service.

The Brooks Public Library first opened its doors to the community on 10 March 1951, thanks to a grassroots effort by a group of local citizens. It was located in the basement of the Community Rest Room, with a budget of only $300 and an opening day collection of 2,000 donated books. Today, it’s located in the JBS Leisure Centre – a multipurpose community hub that also includes an arena, curling rink, aquatic centre with a wave pool and waterslide, a gymnasium, fitness centre, and more. The collection today contains over 50,000 titles, and in 2021, checkouts numbered nearly 60,000.

I connected with Library Director Lisa Patton, who has served the Brooks Public Library for nearly a decade, to learn more about how their library serves the needs of this diverse community.

Jessie Bach: Tell me about the Brooks Public Library and Brooks in general. What makes it a special place?

Lisa Patton: Brooks Public Library is a bit of a quirky place (as I think all great libraries are). Established in 1951, we’ve had some memorable homes within the community, memorable events, and memorable people working here. Our community is a unique mix of “old-timers” and “newcomers” due to our rural location and the large meatpacking plant that has historically focused on recruiting temporary foreign workers. Despite our small population we call ourselves “The City of 100 Hellos” on account of the many languages and dialects spoken here.

JB: Tell me about yourself! How long have you been the Library Director at Brooks Public Library? What do you love most about your job?

LP: I was hired as the Library Director in 2015 and love to brag that it’s my dream job. My background in management and love of governance filled a very specific need as the library restructured following some challenges retaining a professional librarian. Unlike many library managers I’ve met, I’m very hands off with material ordering and very hands-on with finances, statistics, and business planning. It’s terribly boring, but I love solving inefficiencies or creating a perfect spreadsheet.

JB: Brooks has such a diverse population, many of whom are newcomers to the town, and even to Canada. How have you tailored your library services to reach people from so many different backgrounds?

LP: Our first accommodation is within the collection itself – we try to skew slightly toward lower reading levels by including Young Adult materials in our Adult Non-Fiction section. We’ve also adopted the BISAC organizational system (a system that classifies a collection by topics, like how bookstores are often set up) over the Dewey Decimal System because it allows for greater flexibility in shelving and wayfinding. This allows us to prioritize certain materials in certain areas of the library for accessibility and visual impact. Of course, multi-language collection development, English as a Second Language (ESL) materials, community requirement reviews, purposeful signage, and multilingual pamphlets all play their part in providing a community service that makes everyone feel welcome. Our greatest asset, though, is our staff. We’ve spent significant time in empathy, homelessness, and cultural diversity training to help us better understand our community and how to best serve the people.

JB: Your library has an extensive line-up of groups, clubs, and programs! Tell me about your approach to programming and the exciting events or programs coming up!

LP: Like many libraries, we noticed a change in community engagement post-pandemic. This year marks a significant redirect in how we approach programming as we open up leadership opportunities to more staff and community members. An upcoming program that seems to be generating a lot of buzz is an offsite “Books & Brews” book club held at a local coffeehouse. We’re excited to use our programming and advertising opportunities in ways that help support local businesses and build other organizations too.

JB: Summer is coming, and of course that means Summer Reading Club fun. What fun activities does your library have lined up for the season?

LP: We have two performers lined up this summer as well as our usual summer camp-style Summer Reading Program. We’re looking to restructure our Annual Community Reading Contest because the competition is just too steep! We’ve got so many eager readers and wonderful community donated prizes. Recently, we were also pleasantly surprised to learn that the second graders at our local Catholic School selected our Summer Reading Program as the beneficiary of their annual Fundraising Bake Sale! Thanks to the families at Holy Family Academy, we’ll be able to significantly offset the cost of supplies. We’re so excited at the appreciation they have shown us!

JB: Is there anything else you’d like to share about the Brooks Public Library or your experience as the Library Director?

LP: I like to say that the collection in our library that I’m most proud of is our staff. Their dedication and willingness to participate in every aspect of this library is inspiring. I really believe that when a manager makes an effort to care about the needs of the staff and the work/life balance of the coworkers you have responsibility for, they will repay your care and concern ten-fold with a commitment to your organization that will blow you away every day.

JB: Thanks Lisa!

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