In 2002, the government of Québec decided to merge
several municipalities on its territory. Montréal, which was composed of nine
boroughs, was then expanded to include the entire island of Montréal, with 27
boroughs. This situation only lasted two years. In June 2004, residents of 15
former municipalities voted to demerge. Since then, the city has comprised 19
boroughs, and an agglomeration council was created for all municipalities on the
island in order to discuss issues that affect all of the cities.
The government of Québec determined the jurisdiction of
boroughs and corporate departments under its law.
The corporate department in charge of libraries is the
Direction-associée – Bibliothèques. This department is composed of a number of
specialists trained to deal with issues that affect the scope and growth of the
library network.
Because libraries are considered local services, they are
managed by the borough councils. The borough councils recognize that, like
anywhere else in the world, deregulating information, consolidating certain
activities and consultation are the future roads of development for libraries.
The law states that the agglomeration council is in charge of certain priorities
of collective interest, such as the standardization of libraries’ computer
systems.
In addition to the city’s 43 public libraries are the 12
libraries of reconstituted municipalities of the island of Montréal and 10
public libraries with private funding. In 2005, the Bibliothèque et Archives
nationales du Québec (BAnQ) building opened in Montréal. Thanks to a partnership
between the city and the provincial government, which manages the BAnQ, the
provincial library also acts as the central library for the Montréal
agglomeration.
Montréal’s network of public libraries aims to be a
unifying, inclusive and participative force. Its Web site, produced by the city,
is a gateway for Montréal’s public libraries, and for the entire books and
reading community on the island of Montréal.
Spread out across the island of Montréal, the city’s
public libraries are a doorway to knowledge, information and the joys of reading
and learning. Accessible, democratic and community-oriented, they participate
actively in the social, economic, cultural and civic progress of individuals and
environments.
Come and discover the library’s treasures – they belong
to you!
