View our guidelines for safely using your library during Step 3.
**Open Sundays 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM October through March
All ORL Branches are closed on statutory holidays.
Masks are mandatory in all public indoor spaces. If you do not have one staff can supply you with a mask upon entry into the Branch.
We are currently at full hours, seating is available and our water fountain is open. Face masks are mandatory in the library.
Have a question? Call us at 250-762-2800 during open hours. For eBook, resource or reference help you can also email help@orl.bc.ca or call 1-844-649-8127.
We are pleased to be offering in-person story time programs this Fall! The following steps will be taken in order to keep everyone safe:
Ages Newborn-18 mos. | Tuesdays | 10:15am-10:45am
Baby Time is our joyful early literacy program that helps grow the roots of a lifelong love of language. Bond with your baby through the power of song and rhymes! Registration Required
October 5 – November 30
Ages 18 mos.-3 years | Mondays OR Wednesdays | 10:15am-10:45am
Toddler Time helps energetic young children develop early literacy skills through stories, rhymes and songs based on simple concepts. Registration Required
October 4 – December 1 (No program October 11 and October 27)
Family | Thursdays OR Saturdays | 10:30am-11:00am
Join us for fun stories, rhymes, puppets and songs that will get the family dancing, singing and learning together. Registration Required
October 2 – December 4 (No program September 30 and November 11)
Family | Fridays | 10:00am-10:30am
NEW! Join us in the Spartan Room at Parkinson Recreation Centre (1800 Parkinson Way, Kelowna) for fun stories, rhymes, puppets and songs that will get the family dancing, singing and learning together. Registration is not required, but you will be required to sign-in on arrival. Maximum attendance of 50 people.
September 24 – December 3
Family | Tuesdays @ 10:30am to 11:00am or Wednesdays @ 11:00am to 11:30am
Wonderful stories, rhymes, and songs will keep the family dancing, singing, and learning together, all from the comfort of home. This program will be presented on Microsoft TEAMS. Registration Required
September 21 - December 1, 2021
Family | Tuesdays | 6:30pm to 7:10pm
Pyjama Story Time will remain virtual. Featuring longer books, songs, puppets and rhymes. Don’t forget your stuffie! Designed for ages 3-6 but all ages welcome. This program will be presented on Microsoft TEAMS. Registration Required
September 21 - November 30, 2021
See our Event's Calendar for our full selection of programs.
Ages 7-12 | September 20 - December 11
Lauren Tarshis's bestselling I Survived series tells the stories of young people and their resilience and strength in the midst of unimaginable disasters. Join our challenge to explore Tarshis's books and test your survival skills with related activities. Complete the challenges and enter your name to win a prize. For details on how to participate, related events, and booklists visit: www.orl.bc.ca/survival-challenge
Ages 7-12
Join us online to discuss the disaster of the month and show off your survival device. We will be meeting once a month via Microsoft Teams from 3:30pm to 4:30pm to discuss the following titles. At the end of each meeting one attending participant will win a gift card to Chapters Indigo. All attendees will earn a draw ticket for the grand prize.
October 6 – I Survived the Children's Blizzard, 1888
November 3 - I Survived the Battle of D-Day, 1944
December 1 - I Survived the San Francisco Earthquake, 1906
Ages 8-12 | October 6, November 3, December 1 | 3:30pm-5:00pm
Learn tips to make your own board game from a pro, Jonathan from OOMM Games. Bring your ideas, we’ve got the supplies for you to create with! Registration Required
Ages 8-12 | November 22 - December 4
Build your own board game for a chance to win a prize! Bring your game prototype with written instructions and your contact info to the Kelowna Branch Children’s Department between November 22 and December 4. Staff will play it and choose the winner!
Ages 7-12 | October 22 | 11:00am-11:45am
This program is virtual. Calling all nature-loving DJs! Learn how to create music from animal voices using a cool tool called BeastBox. This program will be presented on Microsoft TEAMS. Registration Required
Ages 7-12 | October 22 | 2:00pm-3:00pm
Ozobots are small robots that offer a fun, simple introduction to coding. Come play with our bots to expand your mind, use your imagination, and have fun! Registration Required
Ages 6-12 | October 22 | 11am-4:00pm
Stop by between 11:00am and 4:00pm to do our Halloween scavenger hunt and to pick up a take-home craft bag.
Ages 6-12 | Select Sundays | 1:00pm-2:00pm
On select Sundays this Fall, join us to explore exciting STEAM concepts: Science-Technology-Engineering-Arts-Math! Registration Required
October 24, November 7, November 21, and December 5
Ages 3-6 | October 27, 28, 30 | 10:30am-11:00am
Join us for a silly, spooky Halloween puppet show! Based on the picture book Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. Pick up your free tickets at the Children’s Information Desk starting October 14.
Ages 3-6 | October 29 | 3:30pm-4:00pm
Can’t make it to one of our live shows? Join us online for a virtual presentation of our silly, spooky Halloween puppet show! Based on the picture book Big Pumpkin by Erica Silverman. Registration Required
Ages 14-24 | Wednesdays | 6:30pm-7:30pm
Read outstanding diverse YA books with us! Each week we will read a few chapters of a book and meet virtually to discuss. Monthly book prize draw. Registration Required
October 6-December 22
Ages 12+ | November 20 | 2:00pm-4:00pm
Looking to start your babysitting career? We can help! Spend the afternoon creating a useful toolkit to bring to your next babysitting gig. Registration Required
Ages 13+ | December 14 | 4:30pm-6:00pm
Join us to create a variety of unique holiday ornaments! Give them away as gifts or keep them for yourself. We’ll supply the materials; you supply the creativity! Registration Required
All Ages | October 4, 2021 - April 1, 2022
Read outstanding books by diverse authors to gain new knowledge, build empathy, and empower yourself. Chance to win prizes! For details on how to participate, related events, and booklists visit: www.orl.bc.ca/read-woke
We are currently offering online programming only, but we hope to be able to host in-branch activities again soon! Please pay attention to the programs listed here and on our calendar to see whether they are virtual or in-person.
The library uses Teams for its online programming. Visit our Teams introduction document to learn how it works.
While all library programming is free to attend, we will occasionally instruct patrons to bring their own materials. Please read program descriptions carefully for all the information you'll need. Feel free to email us at klreference@orl.bc.ca if you have any questions or concerns.
Jump to:
Special Events
Book Clubs & Literary Events
Culture
Technology Training
Genealogy
Games Nights
MakerSpace
Help us celebrate our Kelowna Branch 25th Anniversary by sharing your memories and/or photos of the library throughout the last two and half decades! From September 16 through November 2nd, submit your favorite Kelowna Library memories or photos—photos of you and your family at our events, photos of our building, by contacting sharelibrarymemories@orl.bc.ca.
Your memories will be included in a digital mosaic and presented in the branch from November 6 to November 13.
In this unprecedented time, we are going to continue with the book club virtually.
Please email Jen at jenniferwhite@orl.bc.ca if you would like to participate, or if you have any questions.
Happy Reading!
October 16, November 20, December 18 | 10:30 am to 12:00 pm..
Do you like French literature? Do you like to talk about literature in French? Join our virtual Literary Café Club and share a common passion, while enjoying a coffee, a tea, or a hot chocolate at home!
The program is open for all levels of French. Registration Required
October 16: La femme qui fuit by Anais Barbeau-Lavalette November 20: L'Étranger by Albert Camus December 18: L'Avenir by Catherine Leroux
Join our French Conversation group in person, to practice your French conversation skills and meet new people. Activities, games and special topics for all levels of French speakers.
We will be meeting every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month.
You don't need to register, just drop in!
Seniors | Every second week of the month @ 10:00 am to 11:30 am.
Meet, socialize, and share past memorable experiences, memories and pictures with us. This program will be presented on Microsoft TEAMS. Registration Required
November 12: What is your favorite memory? December 10: What is your worst memory?
November 5, December 3 @ 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
It’s time to get crafty! If you're a craft lover, join us for creative projects. Whether you love to paint, sew, or hot glue, whether you love working with fabric, tissue paper, wood, ceramics, or scrapbook paper, there’s something for everyone, at every skill level. Registration Required
November 5: Acrylic Pouring Techniques: Abstract Fluid Art December 3: Quilling Snowflakes
We cannot offer in-branch technical help at this time. Please call our virtual help line at 1-844-649-8127 or email us at help@orl.bc.ca and one of our tech experts will assist you.
October 14 and 28 at 2:30pm to 3:30pm
In-branch family history assistance is currently limited. Visit our Facilities & Services tab for more information.
Registration Required
Every fourth Tuesday of the month from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Join us for monthly topics hosted virtually by the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society! They will cover a variety of fascinating topics related to family history. Please visit our events calendar to register and receive the Zoom login information necessary to participate.
Tuesday, October 26, 6:30-8:00pm: Location, Location, Location: Discovering Your Ancestor’s Hometown, Claire Smith-Burns, presenter. In Genealogical Research, it is very important to have a solid understanding of your ancestor’s places of residence in order to formulate research strategies and put your ancestor’s life in context. We will discuss several ideas for collecting & interpreting locational information, including some wonderful websites.
Join us in the Makerspace to create, invent, tinker, explore and discover using a variety of tools and materials - such as our 3D printer, Cricut cutter, digitization station, recording studio and more!
We are currently not offering certification sessions. Visit the Facilities and Services tab for more information.
Please visit our Re-Opening Safety Measures page to see which library services may be altered due to our COVID-19 safety protocols.
Visit our system-wide Makerspace Page to view the services we offer.
Those under 14 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian maker. Contact or visit the Branch to learn more.
Visit our reservation platform, Spaces, to view and reserve times for specific Makerspace devices.
The Makerspace is open by appointment only during these hours:
Please note that some of our equipment have reduced hours compared to others.
We look forward to welcoming you back!
Please note that due to current Public Health Orders, there are additional requirements that renters must agree to follow in order to be eligible to book library spaces including reduced capacity limits.
Renter agreements (required due to Public Health Orders)
We have a variety of bookable and rental spaces in the Kelowna Library. All meeting spaces have free Wi-Fi. Some have presentation equipment available.
Please download and read Kelowna Library Rental Spaces Information Document for complete information, or call the library at 250-762-2800 with any questions.
Click here to view a basic map showing the locations of all our meeting rooms.
You can reserve a meeting room online at https://orl.evanced.info/spaces, at least two days in advance. Library staff will approve your booking based on availability.
Small Meeting Rooms
Available during branch open hours only. Rooms are as is - no office supplies, A/V equipment or additional furnishings provided.
We currently have two small meeting rooms available to book. These rooms are free, hold up to 6 people, and can be booked up to 2 months in advance.
Classrooms
Available during branch open hours only. Setup and take-down (exception of A/V equipment) is the responsibility of the renter.
There is one classroom available for rent on the second floor. It can be rented on its own, or with the adjacent room to form one large meeting space (Great Room). The classrooms have glass walls which can be opened or closed to change the configuration of the space.
If 20+ attendees, all refuse must be taken by the renter.
The library features a large event space on the second floor comprising the two classrooms. The furniture is flexible in this space and it can be rearranged to accommodate a variety of functions. Please inquire for more details about this space.
Setup and take-down (exception of A/V equipment) is the responsibility of the renter.
Please contact the branch at 250-762-2800 for further information or to book a room.
The library features 9 public computer terminals which grant 1 hour of internet time. Use your library card to log in or speak with staff to receive a temporary computer pass. Extensions may be granted provided there are enough free terminals available. Visit our general Computers and Internet Access page for more details.
The library also has complimentary Wi-Fi. Simply connect to the ORL wireless network and agree to our terms and conditions to begin.
More library seating is now available. Patrons may now use tables in small groups with people they know, or individual seating along our windows. Check-in is no longer required and time restrictions have been removed.
Masks are required.
The ORL partners with the Kelowna & District Genealogical Society to offer assistance with family history research and hosts a special in-branch library of historical and genealogical material. Access their catalogue of resources here or visit in person.
The Kelowna branch of the ORL features a collection of archival material on microfilm, including newspapers and government records, as well as a microfilm reader donated by the Friends of the Library. Inter-library requests are also available. Please submit a request with staff and we will try to locate records for you.
The library holds the following records in microfilm format:
Globe & Mail, January 1992 – 2020
Kelowna Courier, July 1904 – December 2017
BC Directories, 1860 – 2001
BC Birth Registrations (including “delayed” and “Indian”), 1858 – 1903
BC Marriage Registrations, 1872 – 1932
BC Death Registrations, 1872 – 1988
Canada Census Records, 1666 – 1916
Archives of Ontario Indexes to Births, Marriages & Deaths:
MS 931, reels 1-28 (births, 1869 - 1906)
MS 934, reels 1-27 (marriages, 1873 - 1921)
MS 937, reels 1-28 (deaths, 1869 - 1931)
We can provide an introduction to the library or tailor the visit around a project/assignment.
Contact us today to see how we can help your class.
Daycares/Preschools must register if they wish to attend a storytime.
To book a free tour for kids contact Kelowna Youth Services Department 250-762-2800 or klysreference@orl.bc.ca.
Groups of adults can enjoy a tour at the library too!
ESL classes, retirement homes, book clubs and more can contact Kelowna Reference for further information.
To book a free tour for adults contact the Kelowna Reference Department 250-762-2800 or klreference@orl.bc.ca.
We are once again offering exam invigilation. Students must book 2 weeks in advance and follow all health and safety regulations as described by our policies and BC health officials. The library will provide a computer with internet access if needed.
We offer 3 hour timeslots in the following days and times:
Please speak with Kelowna staff to book a time. Restrictions apply.
The Kelowna Friends of the Library, a non-profit organization formed in 1988, is registered under the Society Act of British Columbia and the Canada Income Tax Act.
Persons interested in libraries are encouraged to volunteer with Friends as we support the downtown Kelowna, Mission & Rutland branches through our fundraising book sales and joint activities.
Funds raised significantly support Summer Reading Club and year-round programming for babies to toddlers to teens plus guest speakers & events for adults; and enhanced facilities at the three branches.
Towards their various year-round book sales, Kelowna Friends accept donations of gently used books to their *NEW* sorting house at #114-2476 Westlake Road, West Kelowna, V1Z 2V2. This new Friends location is next to the Rose Valley Veterinary Hospital. Volunteers are on duty to review and accept items at this new location on Fridays, from 9:00 to 11:30 AM.
PLEASE NOTE: There is presently a dropbox available for your good used books at the ORL Administrative Centre at 1430 K.L.O. Road. And we're pleased to let you know a 2nd dropbox is now operational outside the Parkinson Rec Centre!
Kelowna Friends' major fundraiser, the Great Okanagan Book Sale, takes place in November each year. The Kelowna Friends sponsor an endowment fund with the Central Okanagan Foundation.
For volunteer and donation information, please visit www.kelownafol.ca, or email Friends at fol4k@hotmail.com.
Follow Kelowna Friends on Facebook to keep updated on their latest activities and read posts on ORL, libraries, reading & literacy.
Directors of Kelowna Friends of the Library hold meetings rotated between the three branch libraries, at 5:30 PM on the second Monday of each month. No board meetings are held in July & August.
The society's AGM is held on a Saturday in late November. For further information, please email fol4k@hotmail.com.
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