Queens and Quebec libraries agree to cooperate

The Queens Library recently signed an agreement of interlibrary cooperation with the National Library and Archives of Quebec that will help improve services at the largest library system in America.
“I am very pleased to collaborate with the Queens Library, an institution recognized for its innovative approaches in terms of services for new immigrants and teens,” said Dr. Guy Berthiaume chair and CEO of the National Library and Archives of Quebec.
The agreement, signed on October 30, will also allow the two libraries to share information, assist each other in purchasing international materials and help provide their respective communities with services and information in their languages.
“The immediate improvement will be greater access to a broad selection of French material,” said Joanne King, Associate Director of Communication for the Queens Library. “But we will also be able to share the best professional knowledge that will help the running of our libraries.”
The children’s program is one of the examples of the sharing of professional knowledge. The Quebec Library is “known for their children’s programs” and the sharing of practices can help improve the Queens Library’s already great children’s department, said King.
The Queens Library has similar agreements with other libraries from around the world, including libraries in Shanghai, Korea, Paris, Russia and Egypt. These partnerships have created a broader selection of materials for the residents of Queens, the most ethnically diverse county in the U.S. The agreements are able to provide residents with books and other material in their natural languages.
“Innovative partnerships locally and around the world help the Queens Library enrich customers’ lives,” said Queens Library CEO Thomas W. Galante. “We will be working cooperatively with our colleagues in Quebec to enhance the flow of information and materials for library users in both Quebec and New York.”
The Queens Library serves 2.2 million residents and last year had a record 23 million items in circulation, the highest of any public library in the United States and one of the highest in the world.
The Bibliotheque et Archives nationales du Quebec is the largest cultural institution in Quebec. It provides the services of a large public library.