Confusing Library Branch Names

I’m back from a couple weeks off and this week will be a transition week with me splitting my time between the Outreach Unit where I’ve worked for the last 18 months and the Regent Place Branch where I’ll (officially) be the Branch Head as of next Tuesday.

Sometimes it’s the small things – I love taking transit for a number of reasons but the reality is that each day I spent nearly an hour round-trip commuting to and from work downtown.  I timed it today and it took five minutes from door-to-door to drive from home to Regent Place.

When I walked home from work, it took over an hour.  My new branch is twenty minutes.  Plus, as was the case today, I’ll be able to get home at lunch many days for a baby fix which will be great! (Of course, there’s also the possibility that I’ll return to work with a poop stain on my shirt – as happened one unfortunate time when I worked at Southeast Regional Library and didn’t realise Pace had tagged me when I changed his diaper at noon until I got back to work!)

This morning, I went to a training session for some newly hired/moving staff and then spent the afternoon at my new branch doing some orientation with the Manager I’ll be reporting to as well as spending some time with staff (and even jumping in to help on the desk a couple times – once for someone needing a guest pass and once to accept someone’s fine payment.)

Working at Regent Place reminded me that Regina Public Library has some unfortunately named branches…

  • We have a Regent Branch but it’s not in Regent Park (anymore).
  • We have an Albert Branch but it’s not on Albert St – that’s where Regent Branch is.
  • We have a Prince of Wales Branch but it’s not on Prince of Wales Drive – that’s our Sunrise Branch.
  • Our Sunrise branch is indeed on the east side of the city but I suspect the name was more fitting when the branch opened twenty years ago on what was then the edge of the city instead of today when it’s increasingly getting closer to the centre of the city then the outer edge.
  • Our Central Branch is, however, fairly centrally located! 😉

My personal preference is for branches to have names that somehow describe where they’re physically located – their community, street or whatever.  RPL’s Glen Elm Branch is a perfect example – it’s a branch located in the Glen Elm area of Regina – imagine! 😉

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