All ORL Branches are closed on statutory holidays.
Calendar of Vernon Branch Events
There are three book drop bins located on the east side of the building. They are locked during extended library closures (Easter and Christmas).
View events in calendar format.
For details or registration, click on an event below.
Have a question? Would you like to arrange a tour? If so, please contact our Youth Services Librarian, Stephanie Thoreson, at sthoreson@orl.bc.ca, or call 250-542-7610, ext. 6829.
All children's programs are FREE.
NOTE: Events for young children (under age 8) require a parent or guardian to stay and enjoy the program with them. Parents can bring younger siblings with them but they will only be able to participate fully if they are within the target age of the event.
View Events in Calendar Format
Mondays with Val 10:30 to 11:00 am.
Thursdays with Stephanie 10:30 to 11:00 am. (aimed at ages 3-7 with an activity or craft)
Drop-in for stories. Crafts require registration
Babies and toddlers are welcome at Story Time
This will be moving to the park for the Summer. Please contact Boys & Girls Club (250-542-3121 ext 111) our partners who offer this toddler program in our space.We hope to host them again in the Fall.
View Full Schedule (PDF)
Nerd out at the library where we share your enthusiasm. Find your kindred geeks and express your fandom through the mastery of trivia, the artistry of cosplay in front of a green screen, a sample of your fan-fic or display of your fan-art. Or chill with some snacks, games, crafts and music based on your favourite things.
If you are interested in a teen book club or have ideas ideas about what special events you would like to see at the library please e-mail sthoreson@orl.bc.ca Stephanie would like to hear from local teens about what activities would bring you to the library and what days or times work for you.
We have books, graphic novels, movies, music, magazines and Internet access for teens. Spaces are available for studying and gaming.
All adult programs and events at the Vernon Library are FREE to the public. Please take careful note of registration requirements.
You can browse our weekly programs below by day of the week, or view in calendar format here.
Special Events | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Saturday | Sunday
If you have an idea you'd like to see happen @ your library, email us at vereference@orl.bc.ca.
Not sure what's local? Join us for this new sustainability workshop series focusing on local, seasonal foods available in the Okanagan. We'll talk about why eating local is important, seasonal recipes, what's in season right now - and where to find it!
The Local Eats workshops are brought to the Vernon Library by the Food Action Society of the North Okanagan and the City of Vernon.
To register for the first free workshop of the series, on July 10th, please visit: http://foodaction.ca/local-eats-workshop/
September 24, October 10 | 6:30 pm | Meeting Room
Join the Canadian Mental Health Association-Vernon & District for free drop in sessions and learn ways to improve your mental and physical health during wildfire season. Each session will focus on different aspect of one’s well-being. Feel free to join us at any of the sessions. It is not mandatory to attend all of them. Sessions will run from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm and light refreshments will be provided.
Importance of Resiliency August 21 | 6:00 pm | Community Room
What is resiliency? How do you become resilient during tough times like the Okanagan wildfire season? If these are some of the questions you may have then this drop in session is for you! Join us for a one hour session to discuss what resiliency looks like and how to be resilient during these tough times.
Importance of Physical Health August 28 | 6:00 pm | Meeting Room
When the air is full of smoke it is hard to get out and enjoy the beautiful Okanagan. Research shows time and time again everyone’s wellbeing includes being mentally and physically healthy. Come on down to the library and join us for a one hour session on physical health. Dress comfortably!
The Walk and Talk research results have been tabulated! All current and past participants are invited to hear a report on the results and answers you, as participants, helped us discover. To be presented by Dr. Charlotte Jones, Principal Investigator of the University of British Columbia.
August 26 | 10:30 am | Meeting Room
The Vernon & District Performing Arts Centre and the ORL present a screening of the documentaryBuffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life. This inspiring biography chronicles the remarkable story of Buffy Sainte-Marie as she rises to prominence in New York’s Greenwich Village folk music scene and blazes a groundbreaking path as a talented songwriter, activist, educator and artist. This event is free of charge, drop-in, everyone is welcome.
September 17 | 7 pm - 8:30 pm | Meeting Room
Volunteers from The Literacy Society of the North Okanagan will be available at the library on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm. Adults can register for one hour of help with a volunteer during those times.
Tutors will be able to help with iPads, tablets, laptops or the library computers. To book an appointment, or for more information, please visit the Information Desk upstairs in the library or call the library at 250-542-7610 ext. 6820.
Program to resume in September.
Every Tuesday and Thursday | 10 am - 3 pm | Upstairs Office
Come play the game of kings! Everyone is welcome, from beginners to seasoned players.
Every Tuesday | 6 pm | Community Room
Living Well will inform and show people how to live well with osteoarthritis of the hip and knee and how to delay or avoid surgery altogether. It is being facilitated by two Interior Health physiotherapists who specialize in this area.
This program primarily targets those with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee but it is open to all. This is a free drop-in program that runs the 1st Tuesday and 3rd Thursday of each month.
1st Tuesday of Each Month | 10:15 am | Meeting Room
This group is for parents and caregivers of children on the Autism Spectrum, to help bring them together to share resources and stories that may help and support each other. All are welcome. Email vernonasdgroup@gmail.com for more information.
3rd Tuesday of Each Month | 6:30 pm | Okanagan Room
Meet with others using AAC devices and learn from and with each other. For more information contact Michelle at 250-809-1098 or mbunney@cayabc.org; or Katherine at 250-809-6990 or kwhitrow@cayabc.org.
Last Tuesday of Each Month | 10:30 am | Meeting Room
As part of his North American book release tour, author Jon Steinman offers up a preview of his new book, Grocery Store: The Promise of Food Co-Ops in the Age of Grocery Giants, including disturbing trends emerging among the dominant grocers. As Jon will share, community-owned grocery stores are more important today than ever before.
This free, drop-in event is co-sponsored by the Vernon Library, Sustainable Environment Network Society, and Monashee Community Co-op.
September 4 | 7 pm | Meeting Room
Save A Life is a one-hour presentation on overdose prevention training and education. Participants can expect to learn about overdose statistics in Vernon, the basics of psychoactive substances, overdose prevention strategies, how to recognize an overdose, Naloxone and how to administer it and how to respond to an opioid overdose.
Participants can also expect to leave with a free Naloxone kit. This is a free drop-in program open to adults and young adults alike.
1st Wednesday of Each Month | 5 pm | Meeting Room
The John Rudy Health Resource Centre Association will be at the library offering free, one to one support with a variety of health literacy needs, including:
For more information, please see the John Rudy website.
Wednesdays | 11 am - 1 pm | Upstairs Office
Join the Mental Illness Family Support Centre for this educational series to help families coping with mental illness. This workshop will focus on self care when coping with mental illness. This is a free drop-in program open to all.
September 11 - Substance Use and Concurrent Disorders
October 9 - Navigating the Mental Health System
November 13 - Risk Management and Crisis Planning
2nd Wednesday of Each Month | 6 pm | Community Room
Okanagan Foster Parent Association holds a monthly information session for people interested in finding out more about becoming a foster parent.
2nd Wednesday of Each Month | 6:30 pm | Okanagan Room
Drop-in Vernon Permaculture is an open community group whose aim is to share regenerative knowledge and hands on experiences with one another in order to build a stronger community and healthier local environment. Everyone is welcome.
Last Wednesday of Each Month | 7 pm | Community Room
Come join us to celebrate the new works of two local authors, Kerry Gilbert and John Lent. Kerry Gilbert's new work is a cautionary tale through the guise of little red riding hood. John Lent's "A Matins Flywheel - a bibliography of the saints of poetry, literature and music; a late-life and very personal "defence" of the living truths o art; an awesome sanctus of the beauty of the world.
Kerry Gilbert will be reading from her new book of poems Red. John Lent will follow with a reading from his new book, A Matins Flywheel. Doors open at 6:30 pm ~ Readings begin at 7:00 pm. Everyone welcome.
September 26 | 6:30 pm | Meeting Room
Come out and play! Our friendly group features gamers of every skill level with a great variety of games played. Bring your own favourite or join us to try out something new - we play everything from light social games all the way to in-depth miniature strategies. Teens and kids are also welcome. Want to know more? Join our Facebook group: Okanagan Board Gamers for more information and special events
Thursdays | 5:30 pm | Community Room
First Nations Elders are invited to get together and play games. New players from every walk of life are always welcome.
Thursdays | 6 pm | Okanagan Room
You are invited to learn how to play the American Version of Mah-Jongg. Everyone is welcome.
Thursdays | 6:30 pm | Magazine Area
Thursday sessions to resume in October.
3rd Thursday of Each Month | 1 pm | Meeting Room
Award-winning travel writer and photographer Laurie Carter will share her experiences researching the life and legacy of artist/author Emily Carr for the third book in her Emily Carr's BC Trilogy - South Coast to the Interior.
September 28 | 10 am - 11 am | Meeting Room
These drop-in sessions are for knitters of all experience levels and are open to anyone interested in knitting, whether new or experienced. Bring along yarn and needles, and a project you are working on. You are also welcome to bring your knitting questions and problems, and someone in the group will happily help you work out a solution.
Saturdays | 10 am | Community Room
Vernon Branch invites you to read the suggested titles and to join us for a lively, facilitated discussion of the featured title. The book club is open to all interested adults and preregistration is not required. Both meetings are the same discussion, so you can choose to attend either.
Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller (August 17th or 24th)
Forgiveness by Mark Sakamoto (September 21st or 28th)
Women Talking by Miriam Toews (October 19th or 26th)
The Boat People by Sharon Bala (November 16th or 23rd)
You are responsible for placing a hold on a copy of the book. Please note: Many titles are also available in ebook and audiobook formats in the ORL catalogue.
3rd or 4th Saturday of Each Month | 10:30 am | Okanagan Room
We offer free one-on-one training sessions to help you learn to use our digital resources including our eBook collections, digital audiobooks, RBdigital Magazines, and PressReader.
Check here to see if your eReader or Tablet is compatible with the library's eBook provider.
Do you have questions about what the library can offer you? Call today to sign up! 250-542-7610 ext. 6820.
The library has a beautiful boardroom that can be booked by groups or individuals for up to 2 hours at a time, free of charge. The room may be booked up to 24 hours in advance by calling 250-542-7610 ext. 6820. It's a great space for tutoring, studying, meetings, scrap-booking and more!
The library has a small office available that can be booked by individuals for up to 2 hours at a time, free of charge. This space is great for tutoring, studying, and small meetings (4 people maximum). The room may be booked up to 24 hours in advance by calling 250-542-7610 ext. 6820.
Are you looking for somewhere to take an invigilated exam, either written or online? The library can help you out. Basic information can be found on the Exams in the Library page.
Call or email us for more details at vereference@orl.bc.ca or 250-542-7610 ext. 6820.
The Vernon Branch has 17 internet terminals with word processing capabilities available for one hour per day with a valid ORL library card. Unlimited wifi access is available all day. Printing and photocopying is $0.25 per page, black and white only. Scanning to email is available at the 2nd floor photocopier and is free of charge.
The Vernon Branch has meeting rooms available for rent during regular business days and hours.
The main floor Meeting Room has a capacity of 100 with a theatre style set-up, and can be divided into two smaller rooms, each with a capacity of 50.
Rental fees are $50 plus GST for a 3-hour block for each of the smaller rooms and $85 plus GST for the whole room. There is a fee of $10 plus GST for each additional hour for both room sizes. Bookings are not confirmed until the rental fee has been paid.
Rental fees are $50 plus GST for a 3-hour block. There is a fee of $10 plus GST for each additional hour. Bookings are not confirmed until the rental fee has been paid.
There is also a small boardroom, the Okanagan Room, on the second floor of the library which holds about 8-10 people. There is no charge for its use, but bookings are only taken up to 24 hours in advance.
For further information, please contact the branch at 250-542-7610 ext 6820.
The Vernon branch created a seed lending library, in conjunction with Okanagan College and Patchwork Farms, and it is sufficiently stocked. Patrons can now check out seeds on the condition they replace the seeds the following season from the plants they grow.
Two step-by-step guides on how to save heirloom seeds are now available at the library. Any patron interested in contributing seeds to the library is asked to place seeds from each vegetable in its own envelope and label it with the type of vegetable, variety if known, date collected and general location. The seeds can be dropped off at the upstairs information desk at the library.
For more information please contact the library at 250-546-7610 and ask for Peter.
A. Those chair were bought as part of the the new library and are called Bouloum Lounge chairs.
A. Most of the artwork should have information tags beside each piece. Our Friends of the Library co-ordinates the artwork in the library and the vast majority is displayed by the Vernon Art Gallery.
The Vernon Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization formed in 1989, is registered under the Societies Act of British Columbia.
For all donations please call Linda at 250-549-1466. The library will no longer be accepting book donations at the branch. Magazines won't be accepted for donation.
The major fundraiser is the huge book sale held in early May every year.
Past contributions made by the Friends of the Library include:
The Friends also hold smaller book sales throughout the year, and provide book bags for purchase at the branch.
New members are always welcome. Anyone interested in more information can contact Linda Wills at 250-549-1466 or lwills41@telus.net or visit their Facebook page.
Stay tuned for future Friends of the Library book sales!
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