In January of 1956, an advertisement from the British Columbia Telephone Company in the Squamish Advance Newspaper explained how to use the new telephones.
At the end of a call Squamish residents were advised, “Hang up the receiver and turn the crank vigorously and continuously for about three seconds to let the operator know that the line is free and so she can disconnect.”
Some headlines from the time have a more familiar ring to them.
One front page headline declared that the “village of Squamish” had fielded $100,962 worth of building permits, “more than three times in the previous year.”
On the front page of the Jan. 19, 1956 edition of the paper a headline announced the launch of the Squamish Public Library, upstairs at the Legion Hall. It was to be open Monday and Friday from 3 to 5 p.m. and Wednesday from 7 to 9 p.m., and housed only adult books at first “as the children’s books have not arrived.”
The library moved to a new building in 1958, which was an annex to Municipal Hall, where it was housed until the current building opened in 1997, according to Hilary Bloom, current director of library services.
The library is celebrating its 60 years in Squamish next month with a host of activities.
One event is a blast from the past: Books and Beer is making a resurgence on Thursday, Oct. 27 at the Eagle Eye Theatre. Tickets can be purchased at the library.
Author and CBC radio personality Grant Lawrence will host and local authors Katherine Fawcett and Stella Harvey, will be on hand. Musical acts include The Shifters with other local artists rounding out the night.
“Essentially, you come, $20 gets you attendance to this fun night. You get two samples of beer from Howe Sound Brewery and there’s nibblies and a really fun atmosphere,” said Bloom.
Other annual events have an added historical touches.
On Thursday, Oct. 6 from 6 to 8 p.m. the library will hold its community open house.
An historical timeline will chart milestones reached over the six decades since the library first opened its doors.
“That is going to be an opportunity to come and meet staff and volunteers and other community members, have a tour of the latest and greatest services and programs, new changes and improvements,” said Bloom.
Other October events include the return of One Book One Corridor, where everyone in the corridor is encouraged to read the same book. This year it is Inside the O’Briens by Lisa Genova, the author who wrote Still Alice, which was later turned into a popular movie. A discussion night will be held at the library on Thursday, Oct. 20.
In addition to being able to borrow a pass for the Britannia Mine Museum, starting in October families can take out a pass for the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre.
After 60 years there’s no question the library is still relevant to Squamish, according to Bloom.
In fact it was bustling over the summer, she said, seeing an average of 63 people per hour in July and August. That is up from an average of 54 people per hour in the months previous. More than 400 children registered for the library’s summer reading club, up more than 100 registrations from 2015.
“We have a gem of a library,” said Mayor Patricia Heintzman. “And it is a library that really has evolved as technology and community needs have evolved so it has really become so much more than a repository for books. It is a resource centre, it is a gathering place, it is a meeting place and an educational place; it does outreach in the community; it is a business resource.”
For more information on events at the library go to squamish.bc.libraries.coop.
