The new executive director of the Vancouver Island Regional Library sees the introduction of high-speed Internet access in smaller communities as key to unlocking the region’s full potential.
Ben Hyman assumed the role last Wednesday, after four years as chief librarian for Vancouver Island University.
Libraries and literacy are proven ways to “lift people up,” said Hyman, and the implementation of infrastructure projects such as Connected Coast, which will see the placement of subsea fibre-optic cable from Prince Rupert south to Vancouver, then around Vancouver Island, will help achieve that goal. Funded by the federal and provincial governments, Connected Coast is a joint project of CityWest, a telecommunications company owned by the City of Prince Rupert and Strathcona Regional District.
When fully implemented, the project is expected to bring high-speed Internet services to 139 rural and remote coastal communities.
Accessibility for remote communities has long been advocated by the public library system as a way to improve access to the library’s collections and programming.
“This will be the backbone in unlocking and expanding the educational opportunities for library users in the region,” said Hyman. “This will serve to address the existing digital divide and attract new users to the system, especially those who can’t physically come to the facilities. This will be the next chapter of the library system and we will be working to perfect that model.”
Hyman’s 20 years of experience working on initiatives in the public and not-for-profit sectors in the region was a factor in his appointment, said the library’s board.
“We are excited to be working with him and hearing his ideas as we set the path for VIRL’s future,” said Gaby Wickstrom, chair of the board of trustees. “The relationships Mr. Hyman has formed over his career will be of great benefit to our organization and we are pleased to have him aboard.”
Hyman worked at the Education Ministry from 2006 until 2011, moving from a management position to director of strategic alignment.
He was the founding executive director of the B.C. Libraries Co-operative.
Based out of Nanaimo, Hyman, 50, said he has “a deep respect for the unique character of the region.”
He assumes the role after a tumultuous year under COVID-19 restrictions.
Access to the 39 branch libraries has been limited, especially the smaller facilities, as a result of pandemic-related protocols, but the system is now in the fourth phase of its five-phase restart plan, which means most facilities are approaching normal operations, Hyman said.
Vancouver Island Regional Library is the fifth-largest library system in British Columbia, serving about 430,000 people on Vancouver Island, Haida Gwaii and Bella Coola on the Central Coast.
The library maintains about a million items in its collection, including books, magazines, CDs and DVDs. Apart from the physical branches, it also offers a virtual branch and a books-by-mail service.
Hyman takes over as executive director from Rosemary Bonanno, who held the position from 2007 to 2021.
parrais@timescolonist.com
