Demonstration project, 1930-1934

As a result of the survey, the Commission secured a $100,000 grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to establish and maintain a rural library project for five years. In 1930, the library’s first director, Dr. Helen Gordon Stewart, launched the Fraser Valley Book Van, which served as the public library to the rural residents from Ladner to Hope. This traveling library displayed books along its outside shelves and travelled through the valley to small towns and villages, stopping at grocery stores, schoolhouses, and gas stations. The Book Van system operated in conjunction with local libraries in located in the larger towns throughout the valley. It covered an area of approximately 2,600 square km, containing 24 separate governing bodies.^[8] Administrative headquarters for the project were located in New Westminster, while Chilliwack served as the main distribution center.

Creation of the Fraser Valley Union Library

To continue library services for the Fraser Valley after the Carnegie funds were exhausted, residents were asked to vote whether they wished to support the library through local taxes. A referendum was scheduled for January 1934. The timing was difficult since taxpayers were asked to vote in favor of higher taxes during a severe economic depression. Stewart and her staff launched a massive campaign of public meetings, handouts, posters, and newspaper articles to gain support. Twenty of the original 24 areas voted "yes" so the Fraser Valley Union Library created the first regional library system in North America. The first operating budget was established by the board at a per capita rate of 35 cents.

The resources of the Carnegie Demonstration Project were turned over to the new Library Board of Management on September 28, 1934, during a ceremony held in Chilliwack, BC. At this time, Stewart left the Fraser Valley to organize other regional libraries. Soon after, the library headquarters was relocated to its present location in Abbotsford, British Columbia.

Present day

In 1951, the official name was changed to the Fraser Valley Regional Library District (FVRL). FVRL is the largest public library system in British Columbia.

FVRL is governed by a board of directors and financially supported by its member municipalities and through a Government of BC operating grant. Board members are elected officials of its member municipalities.^[9]

World Languages

The FVRL has allotted $80,000 per year to its World Languages Collection, which provides both adult and children's fiction and non-fiction books, DVDs, and CDs in languages other than English. The collection is split between the 24 branches and consists of over 42,000 items in 14 languages.