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Library on the move

After nearly 20 years at County Fair Plaza, the Thunder Bay Public Library is on the move. Head of Adult Services Barb Philp on Monday confirmed the city-owned organization is in the final negotiation stages to house the neighbourhood branch.
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Barb Philp, head of adult services at Thunder Bay Public Library, says the County Park branch is leaving County Fair Plaza next year for a new, unnamed location. (Leith Dunick, tbnewswatch.com)

After nearly 20 years at County Fair Plaza, the Thunder Bay Public Library is on the move.

Head of Adult Services Barb Philp on Monday confirmed the city-owned organization is in the final negotiation stages to house the neighbourhood branch.

While Philp couldn’t say where the new location would be, other than it will stay in the area, she did say it won’t be at the nearly empty mall.

The move is part of the library’s strategic plan, laid out in 2008.

“Everyone was so pleased with what transpired at the Mary J.L. Black Library. Country Fair was next on the list,” Philp said.

“We’re very pleased to be announcing that we will be moving ahead with Phase 2 of that facility plan and we can announce we are moving from the mall.”

Philp said the branch, the least used of four library outlets, should benefit from the move and see more traffic flowing through the facility.

“The activity has decreased with the decline of the mall. It is our fourth service point and its numbers are around the fourth busiest for this location. But the activity is enough that it still warrants to have a service point up here in this area,” she said.

Library officials intend to introduce radio frequency identification technology in the new location, which will allow the public quicker self-checkout times, freeing staff to provide better services elsewhere.

“They’ll be able to do more fun programming. We hope to focus more on youth. There is a high concentration of youth in this area, so we’re quite excited with what the newly renovated space will provide us in terms of services,” Philp said.

The move is expected to take place sometime in 2014.



Leith Dunick

About the Author: Leith Dunick

A proud Nova Scotian who has called Thunder Bay home since 2002, Leith is Dougall Media's director of news, but still likes to tell your stories too. Wants his Expos back and to see Neil Young at least one more time. Twitter: @LeithDunick
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