page_title: West Vancouver Memorial Library
section_title: Early history
hierarchical_section_title: West Vancouver Memorial Library / Early history
caption_attribution_description: English: West Vancouver Memorial Library
context_page_description: The West Vancouver Memorial Library is a public library that serves the District of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
context_section_description: The library was founded in 1950 as a memorial to honour those who gave their lives during World War II so future generations would have the freedom to pursue knowledge without let or hindrance.
  Although West Vancouver Memorial Library did not officially open its doors until November 11, 1950, the District of West Vancouver was peppered with small circulating libraries throughout the first half of the twentieth century.  As early as 1919, Mrs. Effie M. Field was loaning books from her dry goods and children's clothing store at 14th St. and Bellevue Ave.; however, in 1921, the Hollyburn Public Library Association took over Mrs. Field's modest collection of books, with the intention of turning it into a municipally funded public library.  By 1926, the library's collection grew to over 1000 books, and after moving into George Gimmill's modern drug store at 1402 Marine Dr., the library was able to expand even further.
  Harsh economic times during the 1930s led to sharp reductions in provincial funding, and in 1933, the library was officially closed.  West Vancouver residents were deeply affected by the Great Depression, although throughout the latter half of the decade, there was a proliferation of small private lending libraries in a number of stationery and gift shops.
  With the onset of the Second World War, the economy of West Vancouver was centered on the War effort, along with the rest of Canada, but by the summer of 1944, a petition requesting the establishment of a municipal public library was presented to West Vancouver City Council.  On December 16, the by-law was approved, and shortly after the end of the War, the municipality voted that a library be constructed as a War Memorial.
caption: West Vancouver Memorial Library
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