The mission of the Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System is to provide library services, and educational and cultural resources to the people in northern Saskatchewan in cooperation with the existing library and educational structures, and to communicate the uniqueness of the north to other regions of the world.
Our Belief
Because the north is unique in lifestyle, geography and culture, it is important to express togetherness through a library organization directed by northerners which promotes cultural awareness and education through a strong united voice.
Our Role
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System headquarters acts as a support centre to all of its member libraries, post-secondary institutions, and schools, and as a public library to all individuals in communities where one is not available. We liaise with other public library systems in the province for resource sharing and coordinate province-wide programs for our member libraries
Our Area
We serve Saskatchewan’s entire Northern Administration District (approximately 268,500 square kilometres).
Our Location
Our Patrons
We serve all northern Saskatchewan residents who are located in Saskatchewan’s Northern Administration District.
Patrons can register for a library card through their local public library, or by mailing, faxing or emailing a completed public library card registration form to our headquarters. Downloadable and printable library card registration forms are also available here. For more information on registering for a public library card, you can contact our headquarters by phone, email, or fax.
Our Member Libraries
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System includes public, school, and post-secondary libraries. Our member public libraries are:
- Alex Robertson Public Library
- Ayamicikiwikamik Public Library
- Beauval Public Library
- Dave O'Hara Community Library
- Ile a la Crosse Public Library
- Keethanow Public Library
- Montreal Lake Public Library
- Peayamechikee Public Library
- Rossignol Elementary Community Library
- Senator Myles Venne School Public Library
- Tawowikamik Public Library
- Wisewood Library
Our Services
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System headquarters offers full access to province-wide public library collections; consultation services to all of our member libraries; on-site member library staff training; an annual Northern Libraries Conference; library board development and training; and coordination of area-wide literacy programs.
One Province, One Library Card
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System is part of Saskatchewan’s province-wide library system that allows any Saskatchewan resident with a public library card to borrow materials from any public library in the province. Library materials can be searched and requested using our online catalogue accessible from our website.
Your public library card also allows you access to eBooks and eAudiobooks via library2go, as well as access to our extensive selection of online Electronic Reference Databases - all available through our website.
Online Library Catalogue
Library material can be searched and requested through the library catalogue available on our website. Searching the online catalogue is easy - almost like searching Google! Through the online catalogue you can also access your library account, where you can request library materials, check the status of your items, create personal book lists, and more!
Loan Times
Generally, the loan period for library materials is 4 to 6 weeks including delivery, but is shorter for high demand materials like DVDS and CDs, and longer for book block requests.
General Library Material - 6 weeks
Audiovisual Material (CDs, DVDs, VHS) - 3 weeks
Reference - 6 weeks
Book Blocks - 3 months
Materials from other Saskatchewan libraries and library systems - 3 weeks
Items can be renewed and loan times extended by accessing your online library account, or by contacting our headquarters by phone, fax, or email.
Shipping Library Materials
Library materials are sent from our headquarters to our member public and school libraries, and individual patrons by Canada Post with a special free return label that enables library materials to be returned at NO CHARGE. The original packaging and free return labels must be kept for the loan period so borrowed library materials can be returned hassle-free.
Request Forms
Our member libraries, schools, and patrons also have the option of submitting physical Request Forms to our headquarters for individual titles, subject requests, title requests, audiovisual requests (for DVDs, CDs, and VHS), and book blocks (selection of 100 titles on long term loan to supplement classroom libraries). Request Forms are available to download here, or by mailing, faxing, or emailing our headquarters.
Our Collection
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System collection, and the collections of all Saskatchewan public libraries, are accessible through our online library catalogue.
Our collection is composed of a wide range of general library materials, as well as an extensive selection of curriculum support materials. Formats in our collection include books, DVDs, CDs, VHS, kits, cassettes, posters, pictures and more.
All audiovisual materials in our collection include Public Performance Rights, and can be shown in classrooms and to community groups without risk of copyright infringement.
Our Special Collections include:
Talking Books - Books on cassette from the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB), Slow-Read books on cassette, and Audiobooks in CD and tape format for people who are physically challenged.
Teacher Support Materials - Activity guides and classroom resources.
Class Sets - 20 to 30 copies of a novel for use in the classroom, available for all grade levels. Our Class Set List is available here.
Big Book Kits - Include one extra large book and many small books for use with large groups of children.
Library Support Materials - Manuals and reference materials for our member library staff.
Board Support Materials - Manuals and reference materials for library board members.
Elders Conference Materials - Kits to help you organize your own Elders Conference.
Northern Saskatchewan Archives - Find out more about our Northern Saskatchewan Archives here.
Electronic Reference Databases
Our wide range of FREE Electronic Reference Databases are available via our website to anybody with a public library card and Internet access. These databases cover a massive range of subjects and interests, from Automobile and Engine Repair, to Business, Genealogy, Health, Law, Journals and Newspapers, Science, and almost everything in between.
Our Electronic Reference Databases are excellent research sources, from the practical to the academic, and include: Ancestry ® Library Edition, Auto Repair Reference Centre, Business Index ASAP, Consumer Reports, Encyclopedia Britannica Online, Health & Wellness Resource Center, LegalTrac, PressDisplay, and so much more! We even have French language databases!
Please note that access to some of our Electronic Reference Databases are limited to our member public library facilities only.
Northern Saskatchewan Archives
The Northern Saskatchewan Archives was established by the Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System in 2002 to provide a safe home for documents and images relating to the history of northern Saskatchewan.
Today the Archive contains over 100,000 photographs, 2,000 audio and video tapes, and 15,000 print materials. Our Archival Historian Graham Guest is always looking for new materials to add to the Archive!
To access the Archive, please contact Archival Historian Graham Guest by email or call 306-425-4525 or 1-866-396-8818.
Digitized selections from the Northern Saskatchewan Archives can be seen at the Our Legacy website, sponsored by the University of Saskatchewan.
Our Programs
The Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library System coordinates and participates in a number of library-related programs throughout the year:
Northern Reading Program
Our annual Northern Reading Program, held from January to February, promotes literacy in communities throughout northern Saskatchewan, accompanied by its mascot, Wandering Willie. Our many exciting and educational activities include a reading challenge for the "Readingest Community in Northern Saskatchewan", as well as a Northern Reading Tour with a special children’s performer!
Aboriginal Storytelling Month
Aboriginal Storytelling Month is held every February. Various activities are planned to celebrate storytelling and introduce storytellers to their communities. Each year a new theme is selected by Library Services to Saskatchewan Aboriginal Peoples Inc. (LSSAP) and materials are produced to enhance local programming.
Summer Reading Program and Tour
Our Summer Reading Program, sponsored in part by TD Bank, is held every summer. Each year, our member libraries develop a wide range of exciting activities around a new theme to help kids enjoy reading and practice their reading skills as part of the TD Summer Reading Club. We also organize a Summer Reading Tour, where we take a special children's performer to all of our public libraries, promoting literacy in northern Saskatchewan communities and having a lot of fun while we’re at it!
Saskatchewan Library Week
Saskatchewan Library Week, sponsored by the Saskatchewan Library Association, is an annual province-wide library event held every October promoting the wonderful resources and services that all Saskatchewan libraries have to offer.
Our Consulting
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System headquarters staff provide a variety of helpful consulting services for our member library staff. Our Library Consultant, James Hope Howard, and our Assistant Director, Harriet Roy, are available to help our member library staff with any library-related questions or issues.
Phone and Web Conference Consulting
Member library staff are encouraged to call our headquarters with any library-related issues or questions they have. If a situation cannot be resolved by phone, arrangements can also be made for a Web conference session.
On-Site Consulting and Training
If a situation cannot be resolved by phone or Web conference, our consulting staff can travel to member libraries to provide on-site assistance. Arrangements can also be made to bring in member library staff to our headquarters for more in-depth training, such as library software orientation.
Work Bees
Our headquarters staff is available to our member libraries to assist with larger on-site projects, such as inventory, weeding, or collection evaluation.
Workshops
Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System headquarters regularly coordinates or sponsors workshops for member library staff and library board members. We encourage our member library staff and library board members to let us know of workshop ideas or topics they would be interested in exploring.
Northern Libraries Conference
Every year the Pahkisimon Nuye?áh Library System and its education partners coordinate a Northern Libraries Conference. The Conference is open to all of our member library staff, as well as our partnering organization's staff. More information on the Conference is available on our Wiki.
Our Board
The Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System Board is composed of representatives from our member public, school, and post-secondary library boards. Our Board has four committees:
Executive Committee
Oversees operations of the library, and often acts on behalf of the Board between meetings. It is comprised of representatives from four northern Saskatchewan regions and our three member library types who act as board officers and committee chairs.
Personnel Committee
Handles duties and policies relating to the staff and trustees of the Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System headquarters operation in order to create the best possible work environment.
Advocacy Committee
Works toward increasing understanding and awareness of the Pahkisimon Nuyeʔáh Library System, and encompasses lobbying, marketing, public relations, promotion, and fundraising for the System.
Services and Standards Committee
Develops services for member library staff and boards, works toward establishing a set of library standards appropriate for northern Saskatchewan libraries, and promotes library training for all northern Saskatchewan residents.