The St. Albert Library Board is a Canadian nonprofit organization responsible for the governance of the St. Albert Public Library, located in St. Albert, Alberta. The Board operates under the authority granted by the Alberta Libraries Act, overseeing the strategic direction, policy setting, and overall operation of the library to serve the community's needs effectively.

Governance and Structure

The Library Board consists of seven volunteer trustees appointed by the City Council. Members serve three-year terms, with a maximum of two terms per trustee. Board meetings are held monthly, typically on the third Wednesday from September through June, and are open to the public, fostering transparency and community involvement.

Mission and Role

The Board's primary role is to plan, set policies, and establish goals for the St. Albert Public Library, ensuring that it remains a vibrant, inclusive, and welcoming space that promotes literacy, lifelong learning, and cultural enrichment. The library functions as a community hub offering extensive programming and resources that benefit residents of St. Albert.

Library Services and Community Engagement

The St. Albert Public Library boasts a collection exceeding 170,000 items, including books, DVDs, CDs, and digital media. It provides free membership to St. Albert residents and offers a broad range of over 1,000 annual programs catering to all age groups, from children's storytimes and craft sessions to adult workshops and film nights. The library also hosts notable community events such as the annual Readers' Festival (STARFest) and participates in Alberta Culture Days and Small Business Week activities.

In addition to physical collections and programming, the library offers extensive digital resources, including ebooks, movies, music, TV shows, and audiobooks accessible online. The facility houses the Career Resource Centre, a partnership with the federal and provincial governments, providing job search assistance, resume workshops, and other employment-related resources.

Current Board Members (2025)

• Angela Benowski
• Meagan Dechaine (Co-Chair)
• Jennifer Freitas (Co-Chair)
• Sherry Love
• Darrell Manning
• Jason Perry
• Jamie Tereposky

Summary

The St. Albert Library Board plays a pivotal role in shaping the public library's contributions to the community by ensuring it delivers accessible resources, diverse programs, and supportive services that foster learning and cultural participation. Through volunteer leadership and strategic oversight, the Board helps maintain the library as a key community institution governed with public accountability and civic engagement.

This article is based on publicly available information from the St. Albert Public Library and the City of St. Albert as of 2025.

[1] https://www.sapl.ca/about/library-board.html [2] https://stalbert.ca/cosa/leadership/committees/library-board/ [3] https://www.sapl.ca [4] https://stalbert.ca/events/calendar/council-boards/library-board-meeting/ [5] https://business.stalbertchamber.com/list/member/st-albert-public-library-176