|
1858 |
Members voted on Sept. 23 to purchase
"a Library for the
use of the House of the Assembly." One writer suggested very
little came of the fund. (The library was traditionally
believed to have begun in 1863.) |
| 1863 |
Members voted on Feb. 16 to use $1,000 for a library to
be used by the elected members. Some writers suggested that
-- although individuals were put in charge of the growing
collection -- no substantial work was done until R.E. Gosnell
took over in 1893.
|
| 1893 |
A former reporter, R.E. Gosnell took
charge of the library on Nov. 1. He found it "in a very
incomplete and disorganized condition." His goal was to
create "a useful library, one that would largely anticipate
not only the requirements of the Legislative Assembly... but
[also] the enquiries of the Province at large..." |
1894
|
Royal Assent was given on April 11 to "An
act to establish and maintain a Library for the use of the
Legislative Assembly and to constitute a Bureau of
Statistics." |
| 1897 |
Alma Russell was mentioned in the annual report as
working for the library. Trained at the Pratt Institute of
Brooklyn, she was called the first professionally educated
librarian in the province. Gosnell published his Year Book
of British Columbia, an important early record of the
province's history.
|
| 1898 |
The new Parliament Buildings – which housed the library
– were officially opened on Feb. 10, 1898. A former
assistant librarian, E.O.S. Scholefield took over as head
librarian. The traveling libraries service was started.
Books were sent to communities that paid $6 for a case. It
was believed to be the only service of its kind at the time
in Canada. |
|
1908 |
Gosnell was put in charge of a new
provincial archive. The government designated $3,000 that
year for "collection of archives." |
|
1910 |
Scholefield took over the archive while still the head of
the legislative library. According to a newspaper report, he
would "combine in future the duties of provincial archivist
and provincial librarian." |
|
1911 |
In September, a group met in Scholefield's office and agreed
to form a provincial library association. It would become
the British Columbia Library Association.
|
|
1915 |
The library moved into a new wing of the legislature -- its
present location -- in the summer and was open to the public
in September.
|
1916
|
The Legislature's public accounts committee investigated the
construction of the Parliament Building's new wing, which
housed the library. The committee found: "It was shown that
the new wings were built as cheaply as other large
structures built at that time; that the inspection of all
contractors' work was rigid... No irregularity whatever was
shown in the Department of Public Works in connection with
this matter."
|
1919 |
The Public Libraries Act was assented to on March 29.
According to one researcher: "There is no doubt that E.O.S. Scholefield... played an important part in the preparation of
this legislation." The law created the Public Library
Commission, which took over the traveling libraries service. Scholefield died on Christmas Day after a lengthy illness.
|
|
1920 |
A unique legislative reference service was established. The
service was believed to be the only one of its kind in
Canada.
|
|
1934 |
Dr. W. Kaye Lamb became provincial librarian and archivist
in September. |
|
1936 |
Lamb was given a third job title -- Superintendent under the
Public Libraries Act.
|
|
1942 |
Staff of the library and Public Library Commission
volunteered their own time to operate the "War Services
Libraries" for Vancouver Island. The library, according to
its annual report, served "virtually as headquarters for
this service, which in 1942 sent out over 10,000 books to
naval, military and air force stations in every part of
Vancouver Island."
|
|
1943 |
According to that year's annual report, the library served
as "a collecting agency for valuable material that has been
sought by the army, navy and air forces of Canada and the
United States."
|
|
1954 |
A newspaper report hinted the provincial library might be
checked for subversive material. Premier WAC Bennett
rejected this idea, saying 'no investigation is necessary."
Provincial Librarian Willard Ireland said in a statement:
"No instructions have been issued to me regarding the
probability of an investigation of the books in the
provincial library, nor do I anticipate receiving such
instruction."
|
|
1970 |
The archives moved from the Parliament Buildings to a new
home in the museum precinct.
|
|
1974 |
The library stopped calling itself the Provincial Library
and returned to its statutory name: Legislative Library of
British Columbia. Willard Ireland, who had headed both the
archives and library since 1946, retired this year. He was
replaced by two people -- one to head the library and one to
run the archives.
|
|
1985 |
The Standing Orders* were amended to clarify the Speaker's
sole responsibility for and control over the library.
Previously, the orders stated the library was under the
Provincial Secretary whenever the House wasn't in session.
*The Standing Orders are rules that govern the
Legislative Assembly. |
