About the library

The North Vancouver City Library is a landmark building located on the traditional, unceded lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, including the territories of the Skwxwú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), and in the heart of the City of North Vancouver.

Vision — What we aspire to be

A trusted place for everyone to learn, grow and belong.

Purpose — Our reason for being

We provide welcoming spaces and innovative services that connect people to information, ideas and one another.

Strategic priorities

Where we will focus in order to achieve our vision and reflect our values.

Champion thinking, learning and reading.
Strengthen inclusion and belonging.
Enhance capacity and capability.

You can read more about how we plan to achieve these priorities in our 2025 – 2029 Strategic Plan.(7 MB)

Library publications

Strategic plan

Community reports

Statements of financial information

Other reports

Library history

The North Vancouver City Library has existed in some form for more than 100 years. Its roots can be traced as far back as 1869 as the first public library on Burrard Inlet.

The charter to establish a small, fee-for-service library on the North Shore was granted on Nov. 12, 1924. The library we know today was not established until 1964, thanks to a public referendum to support a municipal library within the City of North Vancouver.

Fast facts

Monthly circulation in 1945 was about 600 items
In 1950, annual circulation jumped to 20,000 items
The children’s department first opened in 1966 as a new wing
The current, 36,000 square-foot building was completed in 2008

Board of Trustees

The Library Board of Trustees are appointed by the City of North Vancouver to govern the library in accordance with the BC Library Act. In addition to representing citizen interest in the library, board members also serve as public advocates for the library and library services.

Learn more

About the building

City Library is a sustainable building on the Lonsdale corridor in North Vancouver.

The library building was completed in 2008 and is LEED Gold certified. With its three storeys housing more than 130,000 physical items for borrowing, there’s a place for everyone at City Library.

Key features:

Multimedia, robotics and tech lab: the Collaboratory
State-of-the-art recording studio
50-seat silent study area
Children’s reading garden
Cafe
Public art
Underground parkade
Automated sorting bins

Sustainability at City Library

Water-to-water heat pump

The building’s heat pump is connected to a geoexchange system. It uses the ground below the parkade as a repository for excess heat in order to cool the building in an energy-efficient manner.

Dedicated outdoor air system (DOAS)

This type of system provides dedicated, fresh air ventilation based on CO2 and temperature sensors throughout the building. In addition, the building also features radiant heating and cooling.

Domestic hot water system

Hot water connectivity to fixtures is generated by local, electric hot water heaters to minimize the use of copper tubing and to deliver hot water on demand.

Auto-dimming lighting

The wired lighting in the building utilizes daylight dimming controls to reduce or turn off electric lighting when low traffic is sensed.

Low flush fixtures

These plumbing fixtures save 32% of potable water.

Roof-mounted solar panels

The solar water heating panels supplement about 20% of the building’s energy use during sunny days.

Solar shades

Roller shades on the south and north ends of the building and the fritted glass windows eliminate 75% of solar heat gain, substantially reducing the cooling load inside the building.

Join us for a sustainability tour!