A ROOMY public library east of the Seymour River is long overdue. ’ By Anna Marle D’Angelo News Reporter For more than 10 years, people living in the booming Mount Seymour and Deep Cove areas have had to check out books in a public library located within the Seycove secondary schoul's library. “We look back at a plan that worked at its time, but now it’s just too cramped,” said Helene Grahame, branch manager and librarian for the new Parkgate Library. The new library complete with 1,350 sq. metres (15,000 sq. feet) of browsing space is expected to open in early November, said Grahame, In book measurements, that works out to be upwards of 50,000 volumes. Construction workers are now completing the finishing touches to the two-storey * + Jr 936 ~ Sunday, October 16, 1994 — North Shore News EMPLOYMEN building located at 3675 Banff Court behind Parkgate Village. Grahame can hardly wait to get into the new building, although setting up and moving alf the books is a daunting prospect, The new library's main floor is slated for relatively noisy library activities. That is where the chil- drens’ section, adult fiction and best sellers will be housed. “We have this lovely firéplace room with wing-back chairs and sconce lizhting,” said Grahame. The top floor is for quiet, “reflective” reading, research and study. East Seymour residents are expected to forget all the libraries past once they’ve checked out the comfortable, high-tech Parkgate Library. Least we forget, here is a brief history, condensed from infernia- tion received from North Vancouver District Public Library staff: i 1963-1969: Local parents were D, Family Fundrais HELENE GRAHAME will man- age the new 1,350-square- metre Parkgate Library. concerned that children were not reading well and attributed the prob- lem to the lack of a local library. 1s Friday, October 21, 5:30 p.m. Presto Catering 1994 Marine Drive, North Vancouver Live & silent auction for the whole family. Wear pirate rags for reggae dancing to “The Soul Survivors.” Fabulous Buffet Dinner included. Lots of Prizes and Family Fun! x a po----- TICKETS - 987-1773---~-—4 $15. - kids 12 and under $30.” - adults H $300.” - reserved table of 10 : Some terrific auction items: © Blackcomb Passes ¢ Dinner with Dr. Michae! Smith ¢ A piece of the Starship Enterprise ¢ Signed Canucks Jersey ¢ Golf Passes ° 5 days at April Point Lodge at 2 CP Air Flight Simulator Session and much more! all proceeds to Emily Murphy House a North Shore transition house for women and children Parent and community groups worked together and with the help of a local druggist who collected used books opened the Deep Cove Dollarton Library on Sept. 27, 1963. The Jibrary was housed in the caretaker’s kitchen of the Deep Cove Community Hall. The library's rent was $2 a month. Originally, there were 150 members and 700 books. Women volunteered for the librarian duties. ‘ M@ 1969-1979; “Proper” funding was available and new quarters were rented on a storefront on Gallant Avenue in Deep Cove. Called a huge improvement over previous digs, this “down- town” library was almost instantly more popular with circulation reportedly jumping leaps and bounds. There was a problem though. Dripping water got in after the tenant in the apartment upstairs took too long in the show- er. @ 1979-1994: The cramped and overcrowded Gallant Avenue library was a victim of its own success. Chief librarian’ Enid Dearing accepted a compromise to move the public library in with the library of the new Seycove sec- ondary school. Combining school and public libraries was a novel experiment in the 70s. Clashes between the two library uses ended up happening regularly. Students studying for exams had to block out children’s story times in progress; adults try- ing to have quiet reads had to put up with busy high school classes coming though on library assign- ments, North Vancouver is" hosting the 1996 — BC Winter Games Nl City and District residents are invited to a Public Meeting on Tuesday, October 18th, 7:00 p.m. at the Centennial Theatre to: Following the 1996 Games Inaugural Meeting, — the North Vancouver Recreation Commission — invites you to hear a presentation on Exceptional Leadership by Dr. Mike Kneale. Sport coaches, parents, teachers, managers - anyone with people to motivate ~ will be inspired by one of today's most dynamic speakers in the area of motivation and leadership. Exceptional Leadership begins at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for the presentation are available from the Centennial Theatre Box Office or by phone at 984-4484 (VISA or Master Card).