Unique Collections
Every location of VPL offers books, magazines, local newspapers, movies and TV shows on DVD and blu-ray, music and audiobooks on CD, graphic novels and video games. Branch collections emphasize current popular material, while the Central Library has additional collections to support research, particularly about BC and Canada.
-
Bud Osborn was a local poet and community activist for the Downtown Eastside. His personal poetry collection was donated to the library, and is stored at the Carnegie Community Centre. Viewing of the collection is available upon request.
-
The Downtown Eastside Special Collection features items relevant to the Downtown Eastside and Carnegie Centre history, such as government documents, poetry, plays, and more spanning from the 1960s until present day, with many books that detail the Carnegie Centre’s history starting from the early 1900s. The Downtown Eastside Special Collection is available at the Carnegie Branch for use in-branch.
-
As part of Vancouver Public Library’s work to advance the goals of the Truth and Reconciliation Calls to Action, all VPL branches feature Indigenous collections. These collections were developed in consultation with community organizations in Vancouver.
-
VPL’s zine collection covers a wide range of topics, often representing marginalized viewpoints not found in mainstream publishing. Zines are handmade, underground publications that resemble little magazines. They are most often a labour of love, inspired by a need to communicate and connect, or to disseminate art or political ideas.
