The Lloydminster Public Library built a full indoor dinosaur excavation site last summer, tied to the Royal Tyrrell Museum’s 40th anniversary, and filled it with 75-million-year-old fossils and shark teeth older than most mountains.
Lloydminster showed up.
Nearly 9,000 people walked through the library doors in July. Another 9,000 came in August.
A year of firsts
2025 was the library’s first full year operating as an independent municipal library after separating from the regional system. Library manager Cheryl Sikora told city council Monday the transition has been a success on nearly every measure.
“We can confidently say that this was the best choice for Lloydminster Public Library and our patrons,” Sikora said.
The numbers back her up. More than 106,000 people visited the library in 2025 – a few thousand more than the year before. More than 10,000 Lloydminster residents now hold a library card, though Sikora noted that figure understates the library’s reach considerably.
“It’s very common for one family to have one library card, but the whole family uses the library,” she said.
Out of sight, out of mind
Not everyone knows what’s happening inside the facility. Coun. David Lopez told council Monday he used to be one of those people.
He recalled a conversation with a friend over the weekend.
“We were talking about the library, and he goes, why do we even have a Library? Nobody goes,” Lopez said. “And I brought up the package on my phone, and I said, this is how many people visited last year, and he goes, well, I’m going to shut up because I’m obviously wrong.”
Lopez said the numbers keep going up – new registered cards every month – and the challenge now is figuring out how to make sure the broader community knows it.
Coun. Michael Diachuk had a practical suggestion: put the data somewhere mall traffic can see it.
“There have been over 106,000 visitors,” Diachuk said, “and so they have that information and are armed with that piece as well going forward so they can share it.”
Programming up sharply
The library ran almost 600 programs in 2025, up from around 400 the year before. Average attendance per program climbed from 20 to 24. All told, nearly 14,000 people participated in programming last year.
Room bookings increased 26 per cent. They proctored nearly 200 exams for free – a service Sikora noted is rare among public libraries.
Cloud printing was added to the menu of services, allowing patrons to send print jobs directly from their phones.
“Home printers are becoming increasingly rare,” Sikora said. “So something as simple as printing a label to return your online shopping is not as easy as it once was.”
Reaching out
The facilities outreach program made 60 visits to care homes in 2025, reaching nearly 1,000 participants. Large-print books – which can cost $45 each – are a central part of that service for seniors on fixed incomes.
The Lunch at the Library program, which connects residents with community agencies and organizations, drew steady attendance and expanded its partnerships. It received funding through both Alberta Rural Mental Health and the Saskatchewan Community Initiatives Fund.
“It’s great to have both provinces recognizing the impact of this program,” Sikora said.
Independence pays off
Among the concrete benefits of municipal independence, Sikora pointed to a stronger provincial voice. She now sits on several boards and committees that allow the library to bring Lloydminster’s specific needs to a provincial level – something the regional model did not provide.
The transition was handled carefully behind the scenes to protect the patron experience.
“From a patron experience, it’s business as usual,” Sikora said.
Coun. Jason Whiting said he stopped into the library briefly on Saturday and was struck by what he saw on an ordinary weekend afternoon.
“The computers, I think, were almost all full, and it was pretty cool to see that place in action just on a regular Saturday,” Whiting said.
Room to dream
Sikora said the theme heading into 2026 is simple: more.
More space for programs. More shelving. More seating.
The seniors in the Ageless Adventures program, who gather Monday mornings, sent a message through Sikora to council.
“They would like me to tell you that the room is too small.”
If she had a magic wand, Sikora said she would see the library anchoring a community hub – a single building shared with organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Learning Council, where referrals would mean walking upstairs rather than across the city.
For now, the Mercantile Mall location is working well, and the library is watching for expansion opportunities as they arise within the building.
A note of concern
One cloud on the horizon is Bill 28, recently passed in Saskatchewan. The library is awaiting the regulations that will accompany the legislation and is monitoring any potential impact on its collection of about 65,000 resources.
“We share the concern of many Alberta public libraries regarding the impact that Bill 28 will have on our patrons and our collection,” Sikora said.
Proud of what’s been built
Council’s praise for Sikora and her team was direct and personal. Diachuk put it plainly.
“You have a vision, you have energy, you have ideas, and I think we’re very lucky to have you,” Diachuk said.
Mayor Gerald Aalbers specifically singled out the summer dinosaur program as a meaningful one for Lloydminster families, noting what it means to have free activities available over the summer months.
Sikora closed by thanking council for its support – and extending a pointed invitation to Lopez, who admitted Monday he has not yet obtained a library card.
Lopez promised 2026 would be his year.
Aalbers was ready.
“You might even want to take a picture when he comes in.”
The library’s artist-in-residence program wraps up soon with a community coloring event, where residents will receive a custom Lloydminster Public Library coloring book designed by artist Clark Gerald Romero – one more example of the library doing things a little differently.
“We take your investment in us very seriously,” Sikora told council. “We hope that you can see that we are working incredibly hard for our community and that our patrons are very proud of their public library.”
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