Fraser Valley Regional Library - Founding 1927-1930

Founding 1927-1930

Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL), established in 1930 in the Fraser Valley area of British Columbia (BC), was the first system of its kind in North America.

The idea of bringing the library to the rural population in BC began in 1927. The Provincial Public Library Commission organized a province-wide survey of library services in BC. The key finding from the survey was that large administrative library districts based on cooperation, and resource sharing between municipalities and school districts should be created to serve BC’s rural communities who could not afford to provide a library service on their own. Based on this recommendation, the Commission sought funding to carry out an initial trial project.

It began serving residents in the early 1930s with the introduction of the Fraser Valley Book Van. The Book Van was the public library to the rural residents from Ladner to Hope. This travelling library, which displayed books along its outside shelves, travelled through the valley to small towns and villages stopping at grocery stores, schoolhouses and gas stations. Each stop meant that the book collection would transform as books were borrowed and returned. The Book Van system operated in conjunction with local libraries in located in the larger towns throughout the valley.