Our Collection

Collection Overview

With our collection of almost one million items, we strive to meet the informational, educational, and recreational needs of a diverse population with a broad range of interests and tastes within the constraints of budget, space and suitability of resources. Items are selected based on criteria such as

current trends
anticipated popularity
demand
relevance to community needs

All resources are part of a single, system-wide collection. Most items can be requested for pickup or be returned to any GVPL library location.

Our collection includes material for adults, teens, and children of all ages, in many formats:

Browsing collections of popular books, DVDs and games (Fastreads, Fastviews, and Fastplays)

Regular and large type fiction and non-fiction
Trade and mass market paperbacks
Graphic novels
Literacy books and kits
Newspapers and magazines
Reference and Local History collections
Special resources for parents & educators
DVDs, both feature films and informational
Music CDs
Audiobooks on CD
Video games
eBook readers
Laptops (available only at the Goudy Branch)
Collections en français
Chinese and other World Languages
Book Club sets
Stories To Go kits for babies and toddlers
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria passes
Audio collections for those with limited vision (Talking Books)

In addition, our electronic resources such as subject databases, online newspapers, online magazines and journals, downloadable ebooks and eaudiobooks are available 24/7 via our website.

For more detail regarding criteria for selection, making suggestions for purchase, donating material for the collection, or requesting a selection review see Greater Victoria Public Library Board Policy 2.1 The Collection.

Can't find It in our Collection? Let us help you with the alternatives...see the Suggest, Request, Ask page for details.