2020-21 Open Source Contribution Fund Recipients

March 10, 2021

As we have done for several years, we asked Co-op staff to nominate the projects from the wider open source community that they use and benefit from so that we can acknowledge and support those projects in our small way. This year we are pleased to announce the following recipients: Let’s Encrypt (used extensively around… Read more »

Connectivity Consulting Now Available

August 27, 2020

The BC Libraries Cooperative is pleased to announce that starting today it is accepting applications from BC public libraries to work with our Connectivity Consultant. This consultation is free of charge to libraries thanks to funds from the Ministry of Education, and is aimed at identifying current barriers to library connectivity and helping to develop… Read more »

Keep Track of News About the Digital Initiatives Projects

July 20, 2020

As part of the Digital Initiatives Projects undertaken by the Co-op through a one-time grant from the Libraries Branch in 2020, we have created a new site where all the project are listed. You can find all  the latest news on the news site there and learn about new fund opportunities, and events like the… Read more »

Two New Connectivity Funds Open for First Round of Intake Applications

July 14, 2020

In March 2020 the BC Libraries Branch announced a one-time funding injection for public libraries, a portion of which has been directed to the Co-op for sector-wide work. Of this, some was earmarked to continue the work the Co-op has historically performed “to work with libraries on improving connectivity and bandwidth options locally and regionally,… Read more »

Remote Phone and Comms During the Pandemic – How the Co-op Does it and How Your Library Might Do It

March 25, 2020

While libraries are having to shut their physical doors during the pandemic, they are still offering many services online and need to be reachable by phone and to be able to communicate among library staff in a real-time way. The Co-op, as a primarily work-from-home organization, has developed a number of methods of addressing similar… Read more »

BC Library Association Conference: IT in Libraries: Sharing Solutions

April 17, 2018

After last year’s successful event on libraries and information technology (IT), we are partnering with the Fraser Valley Regional Library to sponsor a full-day pre-conference to dive deeper into topics and issues that interest you. The day will include a morning keynote and then many opportunities to collaborate and learn from colleagues through a number… Read more »

The New Federal Data Breach Reporting Regulations: Do They Matter for BC Libraries?

April 9, 2018

If you pay attention to privacy law in Canada, you may have seen recent news that after a 2-year wait, the federal government has finally announced that, as of November 1, 2018, it will be mandatory for any organizations covered by federal PIPEDA legislation to report data breaches to customers, affected third parties, and the… Read more »

Advisory Regarding Wifi Vulnerability (aka WPA2 KRACK or Key Reinstallation Attack)

October 20, 2017

By now you may have seen online or on other media that security researchers announced on Monday that a serious vulnerability has been found in the WPA2 encryption protocol that secures the vast majority of modern wifi communications. While this is a critical flaw, it is important to note that it needs to be actively… Read more »

Of Wikis and Service Catalogues

May 31, 2017

This article is Part 3 of an ongoing series by Scott Leslie (BCLC Systems Manager) exploring IT at the BC Libraries Cooperative. When I joined the Co-op as part of their Systems team in 2013, one of the things that jumped out at me was that there was a working, active staff wiki in place…. Read more »

Disaster Recovery – Offsite But Not Out of Mind

May 18, 2017

(This is part 2 of an ongoing series exploring IT at the BC Libraries Cooperative.) Ah, Vancouver. To be surrounded by ocean, mountains, mild climate, expensive lattés (and high rent!). It’s home to many of the Co-op’s staff as well as our main server hosting facility located at Peer1. It’s also home to potential for… Read more »