8 Nova Scotia libraries team up to give borrowers bigger collection

Same Page unites all libraries outside of Halifax starting April 21

Jon Tattrie · CBC News 

Nova Scotia book lovers outside of Halifax will gain access to a super library as regional libraries launch a program called Same Page on April 21. 

Tiffany Bartlett, CEO of Colchester-East Hants Public Library, said the partnership involves eight regional libraries that cover all of Nova Scotia, apart from the Halifax Public Libraries.

“Once we launch, we’ll serve 55 per cent of the Nova Scotia population. It’s going to provide access to the collections of over 60 branches across the province, so that’s just about a million items, and it’s going to provide users with one card to access these services,” she said.

“So for our residents in Colchester-East Hants, for example, that’s about a 10-fold increase over what they have access to now.”

The participating libraries are:

• Annapolis Valley Regional Library
• Cape Breton Regional Library
• Colchester-East Hants Public Library
• Cumberland Public Libraries
• Eastern Counties Regional Library
• Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library
• South Shore Public Libraries
• Western Counties Regional Library

Bartlett said restrictions around digital licensing kept Halifax Public Libraries out of the super library, though people can still use inter-library loans to get books only available through the Halifax library system. Halifax Public Libraries has said it will reconsider collaborating with the consortium once Same Page is up and running.

The eight libraries will share digital content, too, via Overdrive.

The new system also eliminates overdue fines, removes borrowing limits, and will automatically renew items up to three times, if nobody else is waiting.

“This was in direct response to public demand for a new library experience with as few barriers as possible,” said Eric Stackhouse, chair of the Same Page consortium.

“Our vision is for all Nova Scotians to have equal opportunity to connect to library resources through a universal library card.”

People will get a new card the next time they visit a library, or they can ask the library to send one out.