The little Langford library is celebrating a birthday.

It’s already been a year since the Goudy express branch opened its doors and the Greater Victoria Public Library is hosting a party this Saturday.

Over the past year people have checked out 200,000 items from the Langford branch, estimtated Andrea Brimmell, head of the Goudy and Juan de Fuca branches.The Goudy branch is the GVPL’s first express branch.

“It’s a small branch, but it’s amazing how much traffic and volume there is of the books going out,” said Shannon McCambridge, Goudy branch circulation assistant.

The library is set up differently than all the other GVPL branches.

Most of the books are facing out on the shelves similar to a bookstore and none of the items in the Goudy branch collection can have holds.

“You could be No. 50 (for a hold on) Twilight, but come in here and there will be a copy,” McCambridge said. “People can put holds on items from other branches though and pick them up here.”

“The (GVPL) board and managers are certainly looking at more of these types of branches,” Brimmell said. “I think it’s been a very successful year.”

At Saturday’s celebration children can make birthday crowns and hop on the Langford Trolley for storytime. Other activities include face painting, games and birthday cake.

There is fun for adults too including draws for “books, widgets and gadgets,” Brimmell said.

“People should come because the library belongs to them,” Brimmell said. “It’s not (the GVPL’s) library. It belongs to the people of the West Shore.”

Langford will also unveil its latest sculpture in front of the library. The piece has an Alice in Wonderland theme and was created by Derek Rowe from Art Form Sculpture Studio.

“It is really wonderful that it’s a local artists art and it has a good tie in with the library,” Brimmell said.

Another bonus of hosting the event is to let people know that the Goudy branch has more to offer than just books,” she said.

The branch loans out DVDs, music, video games and laptop computers.

Mirage Coffee is connected to the library and patrons are welcome to enjoy a drink while they browse books, as long as their beverage has a lid, McCambridge said.

“We want people to grab a coffee and bring it in,” Brimmell said. “We want this branch to be a community gathering place.”

The Goudy branch birthday celebration is Oct. 24 from 10 a.m. to noon at 119-755 Goldstream Ave.

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