2020 was a year of tremendous upheaval, and it prompted rapid change and growth for Palliser library. Among the biggest changes was our addition of several new online services and our social media presence. In March, Palliser opened the Digital Academy, full of beginner and intermediate tutorials on a wide variety of topics including technology, social media, and the library's online resources. We also stepped up our online presence to bring you up-to-date news and information on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. It's never been so easy to get plugged in to all that Palliser has to offer.
Understandably, programming saw a decrease in 2020 due to the necessary closures. However, our amazing branch staff got creative and offered various online programs and take home kits in line with Saskatchewan Health guidelines, so we could all connect and support one another safely!
This year, we've also seen a trend in library card usage. It's become more common for households to use only one card when checking out materials, rather than checking out materials on separate cards. This is partially due to Palliser's guidelines during the pandemic, in which only one member of a household could attend a library appointment. You can see this trend reflected in this year's statistics of active users, as some of these statistics are lower than usual.
Overall, we want to thank everyone who made Palliser libraries a warm, safe, and supportive place in 2020! Your creativity, passion, and care for our Saskatchewan communities helped to make an otherwise isolating and uncertain year into a year of massive growth, ingenuity, and community! That is appreciated more than you know.
2020 Statistics
Active Use Profile
| Age Group | Number of Active Patrons | 2019 Statistic |
| Children | 1,299 | 1,754 |
| Young Adults | 853 | 702 |
| Adults | 6,567 | 7,770 |
| Seniors | 2,444 | 2,416 |
| Total | 11,063 | 12,642 |
"Active user" refers to anyone whose card has been renewed since January 2017.
Total Card Holders
| 2020 | 2019 | |
| Total Card Holders | 18,460 | 17,599 |
| New Patrons | 1,028 | 1,829 |
Services Provided
| Total Number of Branch Open Hours | 15,841 |
| Books, CDs, DVDs, and audiobooks added to the collection | 13,757 |
| Rural Library Programs | 997 |
| Attendance for Rural Library Programs | 8,096 |
| Moose Jaw Public Library Programs | 245 |
| Attendance for Moose Jaw Public Library Programs | 3,783 |
| Volunteer Hours to Prepare and Deliver Programs | 2,265.25 |
| Outreach Programs and Visits | 91 |
| Class Visits | 11 |
| Public Access Computer Sessions | 5,010 |
| Reference and General Information Questions Answered | 38,273 |
Circulation of Palliser Physical Materials
| Items Circulated and Renewed at the Local Branch | 176,139 |
| Holds Sent Out of Region | 55,672 |
| Items Circulated or Renewed by Out of Region Patrons | 77,741 |
| Holds Filled By Palliser Branches | 19,740 |
| Palliser Holds Filled and Books Renewed By Other Regions | 38,213 |
| Items Borrowed at a Local Branch by an Out of Region Patron | 5,722 |
| Items Borrowed at an Out of Region Branch by a Palliser Patron | 5,301 |
| Book Club Kits Checked Out | 1,660 |
| Magazines Checked Out | 2,637 |
| Physical Items Circulated at Rural Branches | 68,121 |
Digital Circulation
| Digital Academy Courses Taken | 7,019 |
| Hoopla Borrows in Rural Branches | 6,207 |
| Hoopla Borrows in Moose Jaw | 14,203 |
| Overdrive eBooks and Audiobooks Borrowed | 65,366 |
| Tumblebook Streaming Sessions | 3,682 |
| Online Database Searches | 2,230 |
| PressReader Articles Read | 367,374 |
| Ancestry Searches | 3,385 |
| Other Moose Jaw Database Searches | 588 |
| Moose Jaw Public Library Kanopy Videos Viewed | 2,851 |
| Moose Jaw Public Library Lynda Courses Viewed | 3,362 |
| Total Circulation (Digital and Physical Materials) | 380,222 |
Collection Size
| Collection | Number of Items | 2019 |
| Adult | 125,369 | 121,232 |
| Young Adult | 19,200 | 21,315 |
| Juvenile | 91,255 | 93,556 |
| Large Print | 12,403 | 12,102 |
| Audio & Talking Books | 4,882 | 5,289 |
| DVDs | 25,474 | 24,778 |
| CDs | 4,411 | 4,922 |
| Magazines / Serials | 15,778 | 14,349 |
| Video Games | 945 | 899 |
| Book Club Kits | 2,250 | 2,510 |
| Miscellaneous | 1,109 | 1,134 |
| Total | 303,076 | 302,086 |