City Centre Branch Refresh

What's going on at the City Centre branch?

October 1st

Right now at the City Centre branch we have construction tarps up around the foyer and the old Help Desk. Reminder: the Help Desk has been moved to room 136 towards the north end of the branch. There are select children's titles at the Northern Ave. entrance in the foyer as we have closed the kids and teens sections of the branch. We have also removed the teen computers in order to prepare for future stages of the refresh.

That's it for today! There's more news coming next week, so check this post before making any plans at the City Centre branch.


September 26th

Today we're removing the book sorter to make room for a newer, state-of-the-art one to be installed before the end of the refresh. What this means for you, is that items will take longer to appear as "returned" on your accounts. This is because our hard-working staff are checking every item back in manually.

That's it for today! There's more news coming next week, so check this post before making any plans at the City Centre branch.


September 23rd

Today we are moving the front desk (a.k.a. the Help Desk) to room 136. This room is just a straight line from the Northern Ave. entrance, and a short walk from the Pinetree Way entrance (straight ahead, then to the left before the stairs). This should only last until the middle of October, as we work on refreshing the front area. Keep your eyes on this post for when the front desk moves back.

In the meantime, as our staff will be busy processing items without a sorter, we ask for your patience. If possible, use the CPL Borrow app to check out your titles, as this will save time, and make for a seamless check-out. It's really easy to use if you have a smartphone (even if you don't consider yourself a tech expert!).

That's it for today! There's more news coming later this week, so check this post before making any plans at the City Centre branch.


September 22nd

Here are the latest changes happening to the City Centre branch as part of our refresh:

  • We're changing the lights! Please be aware of the ladder being used throughout the branch. Give it (and the people working on it) some space, and do not touch it.
  • The Discovery Lab is closed for the duration of the refresh. Stay tuned to this post for when it will be reopened.
  • Some Story Times are taking place at Henderson Mall in the Central Rotunda starting this week. Make sure to double-check the location of any program you hope to attend.
  • The branch's new opening hours go into effect. See the September 19th post for more info.

That's it for today! There's more news coming this week, so check this post before making any plans at the City Centre branch.


September 19th

Starting September 22nd, and continuing throughout the refresh, the City Centre branch's hours will be modified.

Modified Branch Hours

Monday–Thursday: 10:00 am–8:00 pm
Friday–Sunday: 10:00 am–5:00 pm

Stay tuned to this post for further changes!


September 15th

Here are the latest changes to the City Centre branch as part of our refresh:

  • The magazine rack in the atrium, near the Northern Ave. entrance, has been removed.
  • The books from the three shelves just to the north of the Pinetree Way entrance have been removed.
  • The layout of the furniture around the branch has been changed slightly.
  • Please be aware of a ladder the workers are using to replace lighting throughout the branch. (This has been delayed until the week of Sept. 22nd)

Stay tuned to this post for further changes!


August 28th

This fall, the Coquitlam Public Library’s City Centre branch is getting a fresh new look! As part of this planned refresh project, the branch will receive new carpeting and a fresh coat of paint; creating a brighter, more welcoming space for the community. The refresh will cause some disruptions to the services and collections that the branch offers. Luckily for you, this post will compile all that information and present it to you in a timely and clear manner.

Rather than describing every detail at once, and leaving you to sift through to see how your use of the branch will be affected, this post will be updated with the current status of the Library always at the top. This means this post will act as a rolling account of the refresh, and you can get all the information you need at a glance before heading down to the Library! 

Important Details

The refresh will take place from September 22nd–November 14th. Before that, you may notice some extra noise and movement as certain parts of the branch get prepared, but the work will begin in earnest on September 22nd, and should be finished by November 14th.

The refresh will happen in stages, so at some points certain parts of the branch will be inaccessible. The first part of the refresh will see the front of the branch being worked on, followed by the Kids & Teens sections. We will endeavour to make a select part of our collection available at the front as the parts of the branch with shelves get closed off. However the branch's full catalogue will always be available for holds. It will just take longer for those holds to be pulled.

Speaking of borrowing, we're encouraging you to Borrow More from the City Centre branch to make sure you get what you want to borrow, and to help us have fewer items to pack up. This involves doubling our loan period to 42 days on most items. You can find more details here.

Q&A

Will I be able to borrow stuff from City Centre?
Yes. There will be a limited amount of items available at the front of the branch. The rest of the catalogue will be available for you to place a hold on, and pick up at a later date.

How long will picking up my holds take?
This depends on how busy staff are, and where the item is located in storage. Place a hold on the item you would like, and you will get a notice when it's ready. It may not be possible to pick up your item on the same day you placed a hold.

How do I check things out if parts of the branch are closed?
The help desk will move to the back of the branch, and will still be able to check out items for you. But because staff will be busy, we ask that you give our self-checkout app a try. It's really easy to use, and allows you to check out items from any part of the Library. Of course, staff will still be more than happy to help you check out items; It just might take longer than usual.

I returned an item, but my account says I still have it checked out!
We're also taking this opportunity to upgrade our book sorter! However, while it's being installed we will have to check items back in by hand. This means that it will take longer than usual for your returned items to show as such on your account. 

Where are all your events happening?
During this time our programs and events are happening at the Poirier branch and out in the community. Double-check the locations of events and programs you register for (or plan to drop in on) to make sure you are headed to the right place.

Can I still use the computers at the City Centre branch?
There will be computers available, but the number of them will be reduced.

I just want to find a place to study or read. How will that be affected?
There will be increased noise and activity along with a reduction in tables, chairs, and study space in general. Unfortunately we cannot guarantee an optimal study environment during the refresh. There's always the Poirier branch at 575 Poirier st., which will be operating as usual during this period.

What about using the printer and photocopier?
The printer (which includes the photocopier) will be unavailable from October 14th–October 26th. This is one of those things that will appear at the top of this post as it happens. We'll let you know when things go offline/are unavailable, and when they come back!

Staff are here to make this as simple as possible, so we thank you in advance for your appreciation and respect as we work hard to improve this space. We are more than happy to answer any questions you may have about the refresh. Just reach out to us in any the following ways:

Email: ask@coqlibrary.ca
Phone: 604-554-7323
Social media: Message us on Facebook and Instagram 9:00 am–4:30 pm, Monday–Friday

Stay tuned to this post for any further details (they'll be at the top)!

We welcome your respectful and on-topic comments and questions in this limited public forum. To find out more, please see Appropriate Use When Posting Content. Community-contributed content represents the views of the user, not those of Coquitlam Public Library