Frequently Asked Questions

Please contact us by phone at 604.331.3823 or email rooms@vpl.ca and we will be happy to check room and date availability for you. Alternatively, you may fill out our application form and we will respond as soon as possible and hold the date for you if it is available. 

All of our spaces rent for a minimum of 4 hours. Our Lower Level rooms may be rented outside of library open hours as we have Security on-site 24/7. However, our other rooms are inside the library itself and therefore are subject to more specific hours indicated on their individual room webpages.

The Phillips, Hager and North Garden on Level 9 is exclusively a public space reserved for library patrons at this time. It is not available to rent for private functions.

Our Events Service Assistant staff will set the room for you before you arrive. All of our tables and chairs are included in the base price. The Alice MacKay has certain larger setups that require an additional cost on top of the base price due to the setup time required.

The non-profit rate is available to registered not-for-profit societies, trade unions, government departments, publicly funded schools, and universities. This rate does not apply when an admission fee is charged for entry, donations are requested, or anything is sold during the event. The policy has been set by the Vancouver Public Library Board. Read the full Public Meeting Rooms and Facilities Use Policy.

Co-sponsored programs are run by VPL’s Programming and Learning department. For sponsorship inquiries, please visit the Offer or Suggest a Program page.

We would be happy to show you around during our open office hours. Please contact us and let us which of the spaces you would like to see. Most of the rooms on Level 9 have windows and can be viewed anytime during library open hours.

Lost and found is located in the Security office on Level 2 inside the library.

There are public washrooms on the Lower Level for the users of the Lower Level meeting rooms and the Promenade. There are also public washrooms on Levels 8 and 9 for users of meeting rooms on those floors.

LSCC office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00am-4:30pm. Our office is on Level 7, past the Human Resources area, at the end of the hall.

You may use any caterer you like as long as they are a registered business. If you need some place to start, you can refer to this list of caterers that have delivered here in the past.

No, all food must be served inside of your rental room. Only covered drinks are allowed in most of the library, with the exception that food may be consumed in the Level 8 RBC Lounge as well as the outdoor spaces on Levels 8 and 9.

Clearing away garbage post-event is not a responsibility we defer to renters because we have a contract with union building service workers from the City of Vancouver. The fee helps cover the cost of making sure you have clean facilities and equipment for your event and clearing away garbage during and after the event.

Alcohol can be served in any of our Lower Level rooms. On the upper floors only Room 910 Poets’ Corner is eligible. All events with alcohol must be private and not open to the public. Additionally, we require the following to be added to your rental:

• Building Service Worker to stand by for cleaning and spills
• Security Guard to ensure no alcohol leaves the room
• Event Assistant to be on site during your event
• Special Event Permit from BC Liquor (this may be provided through your caterer)

No client materials may be shipped to Library Square. If you must ship materials ahead of your arrival, please send them to a local colleague or to your hotel.

There is street parking around the building as well as a 3 floor underground parkade managed by EasyPark (Lot 27). We are unable to offer any discount on parking for renters.

• No onsite storage is available for events at the Conference Centre and no materials may be delivered in advance. All materials must be removed when the event is over.
• The most direct route is to load materials from the underground parkade using the “Library and Hamilton Street” elevators to transport them to the Lower Level.
• For larger materials that will be dropped off, the Conference Centre Loading Bay (maximum overhead clearance is 10 feet) can be used for loading to the Lower Level rooms and to the central elevators servicing the Promenade.
• Prior arrangement must be made with Library Square Conference Centre staff for access to the Conference Centre loading bay.
• To access the loading area, turn immediately to the right at the entrance to the parking lot, next to the large dumpsters. Contact Security using the intercom on the wall beside the double doors. After you have completed loading, you must remove your vehicle.
• There is no access for clients at the VPL Loading Bay (closer to Georgia St.).

We do not carry any linens for our furniture but you are free to bring in your own. Your caterer may also offer to provide them.

Library Square Conference Centre does not provide publicity for any events. Only VPL programs are listed on the library’s website and printed brochures. Non-profit groups may drop off posters for distribution throughout the VPL system no less than two weeks prior to the event date.