Canadian public library statistics by province or territory and nationally and links to sources
(January 25, 2012)
Compiled by: Leah Jones, Research Assistant and Mary Cavanagh, Assistant Professor, School of Information Studies, University of Ottawa, Canada.
Contact: Mary Cavanagh, (613) 562-5800 x 7376 or by e-mail mcavanag[at]uottawa.ca
“Introduction
There is no single source providing information on the total number of library systems and library branches across Canada. Previous unsuccessful attempts (by the researcher) have been made to gather these data without enough time and persistence. There are many types of public library systems in Canada – municipal, county, regional, First Nations, etc., organized differently across all provinces and territories. Quebec and First Nations communities have perhaps the most distinctive public library histories reflecting their unique cultural and historical traditions within Canada.
This information has been gathered from provincial and territorial government sites and other sources as indicated. It appears that without access to internal networks and documents, the only way to determine the number of public libraries in Canada is to actually go their provincial and territorial departments and then “count” entries listed there. That is the method we employed to compile these data. These figures are only a snapshot. We take full responsibility for any errors.
As of this date, our research indicates there are 625 public library systems and 2996 public library branches in Canada.
Sources
Government of Canada links to provincial and territorial governments
http://canada.gc.ca/othergov-autregouv/prov-eng.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Alberta
Source: Directory of Alberta’s Public Libraries (2012)
http://www.municipalaffairs.gov.ab.ca/mc_public_library_directory.cfm
Method: Tallied by list of 7 regional systems, 16 municipal systems
Totals:
Library Systems: 24
Branches: 314
British Columbia
Source:
http://www.bclibraries.ca/contacts
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Tallied libraries listed
Totals:
Library Systems: 77
Branches: 285
Manitoba
Source: Manitoba Public Library Statistics (2012)
https://mb.countingopinions.com/memberlist_details.php
Method: Tallied libraries listed on site
Totals:
Library Systems: 52
Branches: 132
New Brunswick
Source:
http://gnb.ca/0003/regions/alpha-list.asp
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Site lists Public Libraries by community
Totals:
Library Systems: 5
Branches: 65
Newfoundland and Labrador
Sources:
http://www.nlpl.ca/index.php
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Site lists totals
Totals:
Library Systems: 4
Branches: 96
Northwest Territories
Source:
http://www.nwtpls.gov.nt.ca/CommunityLibraries.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Site lists community libraries
Totals:
Library Systems: 1
Branches: 20
Nova Scotia
Sources:
https://www.library.ns.ca/content/nova-scotia-public-libraries
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
https://www.library.ns.ca/files/Lib%20Map%20Brochure.pdf
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Tallied libraries listed (brochure: March, 2011) within 9 regional libraries
Totals:
Library Systems: 9
Branches: 78
Nunavut
Source:
http://www.publiclibraries.nu.ca/communities.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Site lists community libraries
Totals:
Library Systems: 1
Branches: 11
Ontario
Source: Annual survey of Public Libraries (2010)
http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/libraries/statistics_2010.shtml
Method: Added totals of 8 population groups plus county libraries
Totals:
Library Systems: 315
Branches: 946
Prince Edward Island
Source:
http://library.pe.ca/libraries
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Libraries listed by location
Totals:
Library Systems: 1
Branches: 26
Quebec
Source: Statistiques en bref (2010)
http://www.stat.gouv.qc.ca/observatoire/publicat_obs/pdf/Stat_BrefNo58.pdf
Method: Statistics listed
Totals:
Library Systems: 125
Branches: 692
Saskatchewan
Sources:
http://www.education.gov.sk.ca/Provincial-Library/Public-Library-System
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
http://www.reginalibrary.ca/locations/index.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
http://www.saskatoonlibrary.ca/
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
http://www.pnls.lib.sk.ca/english/aboutus.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Tallied branches through links to regional libraries; locations listed on city and
Northern sites
Totals:
Library Systems: 10
Branches: 316
Yukon
Source:
http://www.ypl.gov.yk.ca/libraries_directory.html
Retrieved: January 25, 2012
Method: Site lists community libraries
Totals:
Library Systems: 1
Branches: 15
NATIONAL TOTALS
Library Systems: 625
Branches: 2996″
Stephen
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