A Library Is More Than a Place for Books.
It is a place for people.
At our recent Library Meet & Greet, one message stood out on the feedback board:
“More Libraries & More Amenities.”
It received the highest number of votes among the ideas shared at the event. At first glance, it sounds like a request for more buildings. But perhaps it is really a request for something deeper:
More places to learn.More places to connect.More places to belong.
Because a library is no longer simply a room full of books.
It can be the place where a child discovers their first favourite story.
Where a teenager finds a quiet place to study.
Where a newcomer practises English.
Where a parent brings a young child for Story Time.
Where a senior learns how to use a new device.
Where a working adult learns a new skill.
And where people from different generations and backgrounds simply share the same public space.
A library is a place for people.
Photo: Coquitlam Public Library, City Centre Branch (Google Image)
Why do libraries still matter?
We live in a world where information is everywhere. Google can answer a question in seconds. YouTube can teach us how to do almost anything. AI can summarize a book before we even open it.
So why do we still need libraries?
Because access to information is not the same as access to learning.
Reading gives us something that a quick search often cannot: the opportunity to slow down, think deeply, follow an idea, understand another person's experience, and connect seemingly unrelated pieces of knowledge.
A good book can help a child develop imagination.
A biography can help a young person see possibilities for their own life.
A leadership book can challenge a manager to rethink how they work with people.
A novel can help us understand a life completely different from our own.
And sometimes, a book simply gives us a quiet hour in an increasingly noisy world.
That is why libraries matter—not only because of what is on the shelves, but because of what can happen around those shelves.
Coquitlam's Library Network
Today, Coquitlam has two main public library branches, supported by a mobile service called Library Link.
1. City Centre Branch, 1169 Pinetree Way
Just steps from Pinetree SkyTrain Station, City Centre is the more energetic and technology-oriented branch.
It offers bookable study rooms, computers and printing, open gathering areas and the Discovery Lab—a space where people can explore technology, games and digital resources. The Discovery Lab is especially interesting because the library card can take you far beyond books.
You can borrow or explore technology such as robots and coding tools, while the library also provides one-on-one technology assistance for seniors.
Best for: students, families, technology learners, remote workers and anyone looking for a more active community hub.
2. Poirier Branch, 575 Poirier Street
Located near Centennial High School and the Poirier Sport & Leisure Complex, Poirier offers a quieter environment for reading, studying and exploring. Its location also makes it easy to combine a library visit with recreation, sports and other community activities.
Best for: families, students, readers and people who want a calm neighbourhood library experience.
3. Library Link 🚐
And then there is Library Link.
Instead of asking everyone to travel to a library branch, the library brings services into neighbourhoods. The mobile library visits parks, schools, community locations and events across Coquitlam. Residents can borrow materials, return items, get a library card and place holds for pickup.
That matters because access is part of inclusion.
A great library is not only about what is inside the building. It is also about how easily people can reach the service.
Do we have enough library space for a growing city?
This is where the conversation becomes interesting. According to Coquitlam's Library Services and Spaces Strategy, the two existing branches together provide approximately 59,150 square feet of library space.
Based on the 2021 Census population, that worked out to approximately:
0.40 sq. ft. of library space per resident.
For comparison, the same strategy showed approximately 0.76 sq. ft. per resident in North Vancouver.
But there is an important nuance:
0.40 sq. ft. is not a mandatory standard that Coquitlam is “failing.”
It is a benchmark used in the City's long-term planning.
The bigger question is this:
As Coquitlam grows, should the amount and type of public learning and community space grow with it?
The City's Library Services and Spaces Strategy anticipates a future network that could include a new Northeast branch, a potential Burquitlam branch, and eventually reimagined Poirier and City Centre facilities.
And one important piece of that future is already underway.
Burke Mountain is getting a new library
The new Burke Mountain Community Centre is currently under construction. Inside the new facility will be a new branch of the Coquitlam Public Library—the first library branch in Coquitlam to be co-located inside a community centre.
The community centre will also include pools, a gymnasium, fitness facilities, multipurpose rooms and other spaces for learning, recreation and gathering. The facility and adjacent Burke Village Park are expected to open in 2029. This is an important idea for the future of our city:
What if one trip could connect a child to a book, a parent to a recreation program, a senior to a community activity, and a teenager to a study space?
That is what “more libraries and more amenities” can really mean. Not simply more buildings.
More connected community spaces.
💡 10 things you can do with your Coquitlam library card
If you have a Coquitlam Public Library card, you may be getting much more than you realize.
1. Borrow physical books
The physical collection remains extremely popular. In 2023, it recorded more than 935,000 checkouts.
2. Borrow eBooks, audiobooks & digital magazines
Use Libby and other digital services from home.
3. Stream movies and documentaries
Library access includes services such as Kanopy and Hoopla.
4. Read newspapers and magazines from around the world
PressReader provides digital newspapers and magazines from more than 100 countries and in multiple languages.
5. Learn new professional skills
LinkedIn Learning offers courses in business, technology and creative skills.
6. Learn a language
Transparent Language Online provides resources covering more than 110 languages, including English-language learning.
7. Explore technology
The Discovery Lab and lendable technology collection include robots, coding resources, GoPros, telescope kits, binoculars and other tools.
8. Book a study room
Group study rooms can be booked for small groups, making the library useful for students, learners and collaborative work.
9. Join a community
There are book clubs, newcomer programs, employment programs, technology programs, craft programs, nature programs and more.
10. Bring the whole family
Children and teens can participate in Story Times, reading challenges, chess, board games, STEM activities and reading programs.
And for Coquitlam residents, property owners, business owners and people who work in the City, a library card is available free of charge.
❤️ How do we help children fall in love with reading?
Perhaps the most important thing we can do is not turn reading into homework.
1. Let children choose.
A comic book counts.
A graphic novel counts.
A book about dinosaurs, basketball, Minecraft or animals counts.
If they are excited to read it, let them read it.
2. Read together.
Ten minutes every day can be more meaningful than one long reading session once a week.
Read before bedtime.
Read while waiting.
Read together at the library.
Make reading part of family life rather than another task on the checklist.
3. Don't always ask, “What did you learn?”
Try:
“What did you like?”
“Which character would you want to be friends with?”
“Would you recommend this book to me?”
The goal is not only comprehension.
It is to help children develop a relationship with books.
4. Make the library part of the routine.
One family.One library card.One library visit every week.
Let children browse.
Let them choose.
Let them discover something you did not expect.
A few books to start with
You don't need to wait for the “perfect” book.
Here are a few ideas to explore:
👧 Children
The Wild Robot — Peter Brown
Charlotte's Web — E.B. White
Wonder — R.J. Palacio
The One and Only Ivan — Katherine Applegate
Matilda — Roald Dahl
🧑🎓 Teens
The Giver — Lois Lowry
Wonder — R.J. Palacio
Atomic Habits — James Clear
Man's Search for Meaning — Viktor E. Frankl
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens — Sean Covey
👩 Adults & lifelong learners
Atomic Habits — James Clear
The Psychology of Money — Morgan Housel
Educated — Tara Westover
Sapiens — Yuval Noah Harari
The Culture Code — Daniel Coyle
👵 Seniors & intergenerational reading
Memoirs and family histories
Large-print novels
Local history
Travel and nature books
Books that can be read and discussed with grandchildren
And if you don't know what to choose, ask a librarian.
That's part of what librarians are there for.
🌱 So, what kind of library system do we want for Coquitlam?
Maybe the conversation should not simply be “Do we need more libraries?”
Perhaps we should ask:
Where should they be?
How large should they be?
What should they offer?
How can they connect with community centres, parks, schools, transit and other public services?
How do we make sure children, young people, families, working adults, newcomers and seniors all see themselves in these spaces?
And perhaps most importantly:
What kind of public spaces do we want our children to inherit?
Because a library is more than a place for books.
It is a place to learn.
A place to discover.
A place to meet.
A place to belong.
A place for people. 📚
And as Coquitlam continues to grow, perhaps investing in these spaces is not simply about building more square footage.
It is about deciding what kind of community we want to build together.
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