Our History

1907 On October 15, Regina's citizens, led by the Hon. Walter Scott, presented a petition to the Regina City Council asking that a free public library be established. The bylaw was passed January 17, 1908.

1908 On February 17, the first Library Board was appointed by Regina City Council. The first Board meeting was held March 27. On July 30, J.R.C. Honeyman (1908 - 1936), a former provincial civil servant, was appointed Librarian and Secretary Treasurer of the Library Board.

1909 On January 1, the library was given three rooms on the second floor of the new City Hall. City Council voted $8,000.00 to purchase books and cover expenses and the library opened to the public on January 1.

1910 On April 8, Andrew Carnegie (an American steel magnate and philanthropist who helped establish many libraries across Canada and the United States) provided an initial grant of $30,000.00 for a new library building which was subsequently increased to $50,000.00.

1911 On May 5, the contractors Wilson & Wilson started construction on the new library building designed by the architectural firm of Storey & Van Egmond.

On November 28, the Library Board in correspondence stated that, "Owing to the surprising rapid growth of the City of Regina, the Library Board have had under serious consideration the question of making timely provision for adequate library service in outlying portions of the city ..." and as a result, was seeking suitable sites for branch library buildings in the subdivisions of Mirror (S.W.), Parkdale or Washington Park (N.W.), Douglas Park (S.E.) and Eastview (N.E.) areas in the city.

1912 On May 11, Lieutenant Governor G.W. Brown officially opened the new Central Library building. Just six weeks later, on June 30, a tornado struck Regina. The new library was among the many buildings that suffered damage. When Mr. Carnegie was contacted, he paid the reconstruction bill of $9,500.00.

1913 On September 8, as Regina continued to grow, the library felt the need to open two new branches.

A wooden building, which had served both as a station of the White Line Street Cars of the then new Regina Municipal Railway, as well as, the Board of Trade Office since 1910, was bought for $650.00 and moved to Market Square at Halifax Street and 11th Avenue. The new branch was named the Eastern Branch. At the end of 1918 the branch was closed for renovations, moved to Winnipeg Street and 13th Avenue, renamed the Prince of Wales Branch and reopened in 1920. In 1929 the building was moved to its present location at Broder Street and 14th Avenue.

Upon the request of the Ward Five Ratepayers' Association, the Board contracted with Roger Edwards for the construction of a wooden building at Robinson Street and 8th Avenue at a cost of $2,200.00 based on architectural plans prepared by Storey & Van Egmond. This branch was named the Albert Branch.

1918 On December 7, responding to the North East Rate Payers' Association, the Board opened the Scott Branch at Scott (now Broder) Street and 6th Avenue in a leased grocery store with attached cottage which they had renovated. The branch was renamed the Eastview Branch on November 15, 1924.

In 1927, the old Albert Branch building was moved to 4th Avenue and Wallace Street and the Eastview Branch was re-located to this new facility. The branch operated in that location until June 30, 1956, when it was closed.

1927 On November 23, a new Albert Branch, in a larger brick building designed by Joseph Warburton was opened to the public to replace the original wooden building built in 1913. The branch was designated a heritage property on February 20, 1984.

1931 On January 5 -- after much lobbying by the West End Electors' Association which started in 1928 -- Connaught Branch was built at the corner of Elphinstone Street and 13th Avenue. The building was designed by the architect Joseph Warburton. The branch was designated a heritage property on February 20, 1984.

On December 29, the North West Ratepayers Association requests the Board "To open a Library in the northwest section of the city, that is west of Pasqua Street and north of the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway."

1936 Frederica Armstrong was appointed as the new Chief Librarian, serving until 1940.

1940 C. Cecil Lindgard was appointed as the new Chief Librarian, serving until 1945.

1944 At the request of the Library Board, City Council purchased property north of the existing site to 12th Avenue to allow for extension of the Central Library.

1945 Charles D. Kent was appointed as the new Chief Librarian, serving until 1948.

1946 The Central Library began circulating films and records.

1947 A room was opened at the Central Library to display works of art.

1948 Majorie R. Dunlop is appointed as the new Chief Librarian and served until 1971.

1954 In response to a rapidly expanding city, a booktrailer serving the Pasqua Street North, Imperial and Lakeview areas was put into service.

1956 On June 7, Horace S. Moses, Librarian of the Topeka Public Library, submitted a commissioned study on library services, entitled Report of a Survey of the Regina Public Library for the Regina Public Library Board with Recommendations for Reorganization and Indications of a Need for a New Central Building.

On June 30, the Eastview Branch is closed and a booktrailer stop is established to serve the community.

1957 In January, a second booktrailer is added to provide service in the Rosemont, River Heights, Hillsdale, Gladmere, East Regina, Dewdney West and College East areas, bringing the total booktrailer stops to 11.

Due to overcrowding at the Central Library, the Boys & Girls Department was moved to the main floor of the Connaught Branch with the adult collection moving to the basement.

1959 A third booktrailer was put into service, increasing the number of book trailer stops to 13. Albert Branch is expanded to include the Booktrailer Headquarters.

1960 City Council agreed to submit a money bylaw to the people of Regina to build a new Central Library. The bylaw was approved by a large majority.

The original Carnegie building was demolished in June 1961, and the work on the new library began immediately by the contractor Smith Brothers & Wilson. The architects for the new Central Library were Izumi, Arnott & Sugiyama.

The stonework bearing the sign "Regina Public Library" was saved from the old building and placed in the entrance way of the new building. A circular medallion bearing the library crest - torch and open book inscribed "Qui Legit Regit" -- He who reads, rules -- is still displayed today.

1962 On December 5, the new Central Library was officially opened. On December 8 the Boys & Girls Department reopens at the Central Library.

The first curator for the Dunlop Art Gallery, Bruce Parsons, was hired.

The Globe Theatre staged performances in the Central Library for the next four years.

1964 Shut-In unit service was started during this year.

1966 On September 17, Regent Park Branch officially opened its doors in the Regent Park Shopping Centre on Sherwood Drive in a leased facility.

1972 Ronald F. Yeo was appointed as the new Chief Librarian and served until 1988. In October, the Library Gallery is officially named the Dunlop Art Gallery in honour of Majorie Dunlop, the previous Chief Librarian.

1973 The Prairie History Room and Learning Centre were officially opened on the newly constructed mezzanine floor of the Central Library.

1974 March 20 - The Library Board approved the Regina Public Library Policy Statement which stated that the Library's objective was, "to provide education, information, research, aesthetic appreciation and recreation for the entire community." The policy statement was revised in 1979.

The Film Theatre opened in the Central Library.

1976 The Library took on the responsibility of researching street names for the City of Regina.

1977 The first annual Regina Public Library Book Sale was held.

1978 During the evening of November 4 - 5, the Prince of Wales Branch was broken into and gutted by fire. The branch was renovated and re-opened on October 21, 1979. The first community sponsored Writer-in-Residence program in Canada was started here at Regina Public Library.

1979 The Glen Elm Branch, in the east end of the city, was officially opened to the public on February 27. The building, which was designed by Building Design 2 Ltd., is the first location to house a Dunlop Art Gallery branch art gallery.

Regina, the Street Where You Live: Origins of Regina Street Names was published by the Library, with a second edition coming out in 1988 and a third in 1992.

1981 On February 1, the Sherwood Village Branch was officially opened to the public in the northwest of the city at 6121 Rochdale Boulevard. The branch also houses the site of a Dunlop Art Gallery branch gallery.

February 4, the North Central Community Society/Albert Community Library Committee was established to provide a link between the neighbourhood and the Albert Branch; and to act in an advisory capacity on the operation of the branch. This agreement was renewed May 16, 1996.

1982 August - The Branch Site Study was completed. The patrons who were surveyed at the Central Library, Connaught, Glen Elm and four booktrailer sites reacted positively to the construction of a branch in south Regina.

1984 April 1 - During renovations of the Central Library, the Audio Visual Unit service area was expanded. The Prairie History Room was moved to a larger area on the main floor.

On October 10, the Library became fully automated with the installation of the GEAC circulation and online catalogue system.

On October 11, Albert and Connaught Branch Libraries were designated heritage properties.

1985 November 17, the South Albert Branch was officially opened in the Sunset Mall in south Regina.

1988 Ken Jensen was appointed as the new Chief Librarian and served in that capacity until 1999.

1990 On May 27, the Sunrise Branch, which opened to the public on May 1, is officially opened to serve the residents of southeast Regina. The library-owned building adjoins the Southeast Leisure Centre owned by the City of Regina and the facility is jointly operated by the respective parties.

1991 On March 3, the Mobile Trailer service, which had operated out of the Albert Branch basement since 1954, was discontinued in 1991. As a consequence, service to the following booktrailer stops at Eastview, North Broad, Park Street; and in Argyle Park, Uplands, Pioneer Village and Rosemont came to an end.

On November 20, the Library Board approved the Branch Siting Policy as a strategic planning document for the development of library services in the City of Regina. The document re-articulated the vision of the first Library Board of providing equitable and accessible library service to all the citizens of Regina through the establishment of full service branches based on defined service criteria.

The full service branches, as of 1997, are the George Bothwell, Glen Elm, Regent Place, Sherwood Village and Sunrise branches. The neighbourhood branches, in what now constitutes the inner-city, are Albert, Connaught and Prince of Wales branches.

1992 On June 8, the Principles for Planning became the new guiding document for the Library, setting out its vision, mission, values, goals and objectives. This document replaced the Regina Public Library Policy Statement document which had been in place from 1974 to 1990. On November 19, 1996, the Library Board approved a revised Principles for Planning. During those five years the document served as a foundation for a review and revision of many practices in the Library. The Library's mission is to enhance "the quality of life in Regina by providing access to information for cultural, economic, educational and recreational development."

1995 On January 14, the George Bothwell Branch, which opened to the public on December 5, 1994, was officially opened to serve the residents of south Regina from a leased stand alone operation attached to the Southland Mall. The branch was named after George Bothwell (1916 - 1996) who served as a Regina Public Library Board member for over 30 years. With the opening of the George Bothwell Branch, the South Albert Branch was closed.

On March 25, the Regent Place Branch, which opened to the public on February 20, 1995, was officially opened to serve the residents of north Regina from a leased stand alone operation. As a result, the Regent Park Branch was closed.

In March, Tanka Research was commissioned by the Library to conduct a survey of user needs throughout the city during March/April which would provide the library with information to guide it's decision making. The Needs Assessment Survey report was the culimination of that research. Among other things the analysis of the data indicated that the library's market penetration in the city is higher than the number of registered patrons.

1996 On December 27, the Audio-Visual Services Unit closed and its public services are re-distributed through other Central Library units.

1997 In February/March, the Library held public meetings to solicit input to assist the Board in its strategic planning on the future of the Central Library and a future West Branch.

On May 15, the Library launched its new web site at: http://www.reginalibrary.ca

1998 On May 1, the Regina Public Library first offered public Internet access.

1999 Alexander (Sandy) Cameron was appointed as the new Library Director.

2001 The Regina Public Library Board approved "Where Ideas Begin", the Regina Public Library Strategic Plan for 2001-2005.

2005 Jeff Barber was appointed as the new Library Director & CEO.

2006 The Regina Public Library Board's new Strategic Plan, Setting the Course: Looking Ahead to 2010, was approved in March.