Coun. Ronna-Rae Leonard of Courtenay was elected recently to serve a one-year term as the chair of the Vancouver Island Regional Library board of trustees.

Also at VIRL’s annual general meeting in Nanaimo, Comox Valley Regional district Area A director Bruce Jolliffe was elected to serve on the executive committee.

Coun. Marcia Turner of Comox and Kate Greening of Cumberland are other Comox Valley representatives on the new board.

Under the BC Library Act, regional library boards include representatives from each municipality and regional district served by the regional library.

The VIRL board administers a $17.2 million budget for 38 library branches on Vancouver Island (except Victoria), Haida Gwaii, and Bella Coola on the Central Coast, as well as a virtual branch (www.virl.bc.ca).

VIRL general facts:

•300 employees (165 full-time equivalents);

•Total population served by VIRL — 413,250;

•Residents with VIRL borrower cards 191,487;

•VIRL’s administrative offices are located in Nanaimo.

— Vancouver Island Regional Library