The Calgary Public Library (the Library) owns and operates a pool of assets with a reported replacement value of $82.6 million. Books currently comprise 53% of this value and building facilities 28%. IT, furniture, and equipment together comprise 12% of the total value. In 2011, as part of a new initiative spearheaded by The City of Calgary, the Library collaborated with The City, the major source of both operating and capital funds for the Library, in the development of a systematic Asset Management Plan, including a comprehensive overview of the Library’s asset base, and documented projected lifecycle and capital needs for the future, to inform The City’s and the Library’s future financial planning. A number of factors were documented as part of the development of the plan: • The physical, functional and demand condition of each building facility asset Library using standardized criteria • Current targets for facility renewal schedules, including paint and carpet renewal • Compliance with statutory and other requirements • The Library’s stated goal of continuous improvement in asset operations and maintenance • Financial drivers, including the availability of funds • Environmental drivers, including stated goals for LEEDs certification • Social drivers, including the evolution of public library service in a digital age • Business continuity and/or security and emergency measures When fully completed, the AMP will provide a comprehensive and invaluable planning and budgeting tool for a period of approximately 20 years.

Among the Library’s objectives in this initiative was the identification and articulation of a quality rating system, which could be used to measure the customer experience in each library location, so that the capital and lifecycle costs of improvements to the physical facility designed to increase the quality of that experience could be included in the AMP. The system takes into account both the facilities-related side of the customer experience, as well as the contribution to the experience of the human factor: mediation by staff and/or volunteers. The rating system developed for AMP’s first iteration includes the following questions: 1. Quality – what standard of service is provided? 2. Reliability/Functionality: How predictable is the service? 3. Legislative: Does the service meet legal requirements: 4. Sustainability: Does the service fit with future needs? 5. Accessibility: Can the service be easily used? 6. Safety: Does the service present a risk to safety? 7. Affordability: Does the service offer best value for money? For each of the outcomes, a set of asset attributes was established with those attributes being selected which most contributed to and influenced the quality of the customer experience. In 2011, the system was applied to the Library’s facilities for the first time, with a resulting base line score for each facility. As the AMP becomes more fully completed, more information will be added.

The AMP is a wonderful example of leading edge collaboration between the Library and the City of Calgary which will provide valuable planning information for both groups going forward. The Library was the first of the City’s Civic Partners (entities who also receive major funding from the City) to go through this process and as a result of its success, it will be modeled and rolled out to the other groups in the coming years. Since the Calgary Public Library is currently in the midst of planning a major new Central Library project, an additional 3 new branches in multi-use City recreation facilities, and a major renovation to an iconic branch library, AMP was a vital operation for both parties. Integrating the facility management planning process of the Library with that of its major funder will make a great relationship even better.