TranslateOur mission is to stimulate a love of reading and a life-long interest in learning. To encourage self-reliance and the use of new technologies. To provide an up-to-date, forward-looking network of accessible and inviting facilities, information services and outreach programs. To be responsive to community needs and to contribute to the economic and social well-being of our communities.
Eastern Counties Regional Library (ECRL) is one of nine regional public library systems in Nova Scotia. Since 1969, ECRL has provided public library service to the geographic areas of Inverness, Richmond and Guysborough Counties, amounting to the largest geography of any library system in Nova Scotia. ECRL serves a population of approximately 33,000 people with nine library branches including Atlantic Canada's first Open Library, a self-serve library kiosk, and a Regional Office located in Mulgrave, NS.
ECRL is part of the Same Page Consortium, which allows library users across Nova Scotia have the same access to the full library collection shared by eight regional libraries. ECRL users can place holds on and borrow items from any Same Page library, the same way they would with items in ECRL’s own collection.
ECRL is funded by the Nova Scotia Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage (approximately 74%), by partner municipalities (approximately 23%), and by its own fundraising activities (approximately 3%).
Eastern Counties Regional Library has a Board of Directors who govern the Library in accordance with the Nova Scotia Libraries Act, which regulates regional library service in the Province.
ECRL supports to the Statement on Intellectual Freedom and Libraries of the Canadian
Federation of Library Associations.