To showcase the important work being done by libraries across the province, MLA regularly interviews library workers from a variety of institutions about the work they do to deliver library services to Manitobans.

This month we interviewed Leah O’ Leary, the Community Program Coordinator at Portage la Prairie Regional Library. Read to learn about the wide breadth of programming that their library offers, and the importance of building relationships with nonprofits and organizations in the community.

Can you tell us a bit about your library system or branch? Is there anything unique or unusual about it?

The Portage la Prairie Regional Library serves over 7,700 patrons from the City of
Portage la Prairie, the RM of Portage la Prairie, and surrounding communities. With a
collection of more than 67,000 items, we aim to provide a wide variety of reading
options. If we don’t have the book you’re looking for, don’t worry! We can request it
through interlibrary loan from locations across Canada, from Halifax to Vancouver,
including university libraries. Our interlibrary team will do their best to track down the
book you need.

Whether you’re researching history for a project or simply for personal interest, we
offer access to an archives department in collaboration with Portage la Prairie City Hall.
The library staff is a close-knit team, all dedicated to creating a welcoming atmosphere
for everyone. We work hard to ensure that the library remains a valuable asset to the
community.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about your work or your
library?

I wish more people knew that our library offers much more than just reading
resources—we provide a wide range of services for everyone. Our computers, study
areas, and programs are all free to use, even for those who don’t have a library
membership. We also offer exam proctoring services, radon screening kits, blood
pressure kits, air quality sensors, and a seed library.

We offer diverse programming to meet the needs of our community. For example, In
January, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) hosted a workshop to assist with income
tax questions, income and deduction services, updating direct deposit information, and
more. We offer helpful programs like this every month. Additionally, we have partnered
with the Canadian Mental Health Association to provide drop-in mental health support
and offer resources for anyone in need.

We also offer a variety of children’s programs, including two kids’ craft nights each
month, Lego Club, storytime, and much more. In total, we host over 25 programs each
month, all open to the public and completely free. We take pride in the diverse range of
services we provide to support our community.

What is something happening at your library that you’re excited about?

I’m personally excited about the opportunity to build strong relationships with other
nonprofits and organizations. Our goal is to collaborate on programs that address the
needs of the community. For instance, we’re planning a writing workshop with a local
author, offering a series of sessions to spark interest in writing. What better place to
learn than a library?

I love being a part of the community and helping wherever I’m needed, it’s wonderful
that I can do that through my role at the library.

What are you reading/watching/playing right now?

I’ve always loved reading, and I feel lucky to work in a library with such easy access to
a wide range of books. Right now, I’m really enjoying cozy fantasy. I recently read
Drinks & Sinkholes by Evan S. Usher. As for TV, I can never get enough of Grey’s
Anatomy—I love watching it on repeat and never get bored, especially with so many
seasons to enjoy!

We’re always looking for more library workers to feature! Are you doing something interesting at your library that you want to share, or do you know someone in Manitoba that is? Reach out to us at communications@mla.mb.ca to share your story.

To demonstrate the important work being done by libraries across the province, MLA regularly interviews library workers from a variety of institutions about the unique work they do to deliver library services to Manitobans.

This month we talked with Michelle McLaughlin, a librarian/clerk at the Altona Branch of the South Central Regional Library. Read on to learn about the inspiring story behind the Altona’s Branch relocation in 2022, Michelle’s book recommendations, and the difference that having a dedicated and passionate team makes when facing censorship challenges.

Can you tell us a bit about your library system or branch? Is there anything unique or unusual about it?

South Central Regional Library is comprised of five branches: Altona, Winkler, Morden, Miami and Manitou. I am a proud librarian in the Altona branch. Our branch is in the middle in comparison to size, and we are conveniently located in the Altona Mall, smack dab in the middle of our community. SCRL hails itself as a broad library system, as we serve a large number of our local population.

One fun thing about our library in Altona, is that we relocated in August of 2022. Our community rallied together, as so many people saw the benefits of us being in a more centralized and visual location. Each staff led their own personal fundraisers, showcasing our unique and fun abilities. Each staff also got to partake in the planning and execution of our new space. The SCRL Altona crew take great pride in our past fundraising and moving achievements, and will never forget the hard work and dedication it took to get us to where we wanted to be. When we were set to move, we hand packed, unpacked and sorted the +40,000 books. We also pushed every shelf, weighing 200lbs and up, on handmade dollies, down the streets of our town, from our old location to the new location. It was a site to behold!

We are a very tight-knit group and feel that this reflects positively in our community.

What is one thing you wish more people knew about your work or your library?

One thing that I wish more people knew about our library, is that there is something for everyone – even the people that aren’t so keen on reading. We take great pride in the fact that we can offer a fun program, a cozy place to be and friendly conversation to anyone, from any walk of life. Some community members think that the library doesn’t have anything for them, and we like to challenge that belief!

In recent years, SCRL has been a huge target of censorship efforts. Our board, Director, Administration and front line staff stood firm in protecting everyone’s individual rights to intellectual freedom, and we came out at the end stronger than before. I would like more people to know that what these people did, was stand up for THEM. Everyone worked together to combat mis and disinformation, and by holding firm, we protected the materials from being removed from our shelves, and in turn, made sure that they are still available for those who want and need them.

What is something happening at your library that you’re excited about?

I personally get excited for all-things-library, no matter what is going on in our branch. But, SCRL is set to celebrate our 60th anniversary in March, and we will be hosting a community wide quiz night and fundraiser, and I am super excited to be a staff during such an amazing year. Being able to showcase our past achievements, and our future endeavors to the public is something that I get very excited about. Being a part of a broad library system, we are always forward thinking in our planning and execution on how to better provide and serve our communities.

What is a challenge you’re currently facing?

With the book and censorship challenges behind us, I feel like our team doesn’t have anything pressing at the moment. We are strong, dedicated and passionate about our library, library system, and the people whom we get to share it with. We know now, that we can face any challenge that is thrown our way, collectively as a team!

One thing though, that we struggle with a little bit in our branch, is programming attendance. We wish that more people came to stay, rather than just browse for what they want and leave. We offer a large amount of creative and unique programs, trying to cater to many different interests, but for some reason, we only have a small amount of people who attend.

Altona is a very forward thinking and community focused town. We have many community spaces that cater to children, and adults, and so, people often flock to those spaces, leaving us with a smaller attendance for our activities. We will keep pushing forward and continue to open our doors, and hopefully we can increase our numbers with time.

What are you reading/watching/playing right now?

I am such a lover of books, and read as much as I can. Some of my most very favorite books are Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand, Greenwood by Michael Christie, Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir and of course, The Green Mile by Stephen King.

Currently, I love love love to play Hogwarts Legacy on my XBox (not a Harry Potter fan, though…weird, I know!) and the classics on my Nintendo Switch like Super Mario Bros, Mario Party and anything Lego.

I love to watch anything dorky with my favorite shows being The Nature Of Things, W5 and any documentary on Egypt – and I love to work on my cross stitch while I watch.

We’re always looking for more library workers to feature! Are you doing something interesting at your library that you want to share, or do you know someone in Manitoba that is? Reach out to us at communications@mla.mb.ca to share your story.

To showcase the interesting and important work being done by libraries across the province, MLA interviews library workers about the unique work they do in order to deliver library services to Manitobans.

This month we talked to Dylan MacDougall, a Reference Librarian at Red River College Polytechnic and also the MLA’s Membership Director. Read Dylan’s profile to find out about his passion for library instruction and his latest movie recommendations!

Can you tell us a bit about your library system or branch?

I work in the library at RRC Polytech. As part of the only Polytechnic institution in Manitoba, the RRC Polytech Library is devoted to supporting students pursuing careers in a wide variety of industries across the province. Our library has two main locations, at the Notre Dame campus and at the Exchange District campus, and we also offer support to students studying out of our regional campuses.

What is a challenge you are currently facing?

I suspect that I speak for many academic librarians in saying that I wish students (and faculty, to an extent) were not only more aware of the various ways we can support them, but also more willing to engage with our services on a deep level. It seems to me that there has been a change in recent years, with students approaching library services in a somewhat transactional way, rather than in a more collaborative or intellectual way. This is a challenge that librarians are facing now, and will continue to face as new technologies like artificial intelligence become more advanced and able to provide easier (but not necessarily more reliable) solutions to students’ research needs. That said, even the toughest challenges are still opportunities for professional growth and learning, and this is no different.

What is something happening at your library that you’re excited about?

One thing I am really excited about at the RRC Polytech Library is our library instruction. I believe that library instruction is incredibly effective when it comes to promoting library services to students while also providing them with a foundation to build upon when it comes to conducting effective academic research. I have had numerous opportunities to go into classrooms and provide library instruction for students, and not only is the experience incredibly rewarding for me in a professional sense, but it is also great to see the way in which it helps students. I think that we offer excellent instruction here at the RRC Polytech Library, and I hope that instructors at the College continue to invite us into their classes.

What are you reading/watching/playing right now?

I’m currently reading a novel, “Children of Dune” by Frank Herbert, as well as a non-fiction book, “The Rape of Nanking” by Iris Chang. I’m not finished either, but so far they have both been excellent. As for what I’m watching, I am a bit of a film obsessive, so I tend to watch several films a week. Some notable recent examples include “Come and See” by Elem Klimov, which I watched on Remembrance Day, and “Anora” by Sean Baker, which I saw in the theater.

We’re always looking for more library workers to feature! Are you doing something interesting at your library that you want to share, or do you know someone in the province that is? Reach out to us at communications@mla.mb.ca.