The Library is accessible during the Scandinavian Centre’s office hours, noon to 6 pm weekdays, and on Saturday noon to 2 pm. The volunteer librarian is in the Library most Tuesdays. Please contact Pia Christensen at library@scancentre.org for more information or assistance, including additional access hours. Please note there is a book return outside the Library door, for use when the Scandinavian Centre is open, and a book return box outside the main door, so you can return items when the Scandinavian Centre is not open.
The English language collection is on the second floor, off the mezzanine. This Library has English translations of Danish, Finnish, Swedish, Norwegian and Icelandic literature, as well as books on many subjects relating to the Scandinavian countries. These include arts and crafts, folk culture, music, cookery, biography, history, social conditions in the Scandinavian countries, and of course, the Vikings. Another focus is Scandinavians in Canada, with an emphasis on British Columbia. We also have children’s and young adult material, both fiction and non-fiction. As well, there is a small collection of feature films and documentary films on DVD. All these items are included in the library catalogue on the computer in the library, as well as online.
There are five other library locations within the Scandinavian Community Centre, with each country’s room containing the collection in that language, ie the Danish Room has the Danish language collection, and so on for Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland. Of these collections, the Danish language and Norwegian language ones are included in the Library catalogue at this time.