Located in the rural community of St- Georges, Bibliothèque Allard Regional Library is the main library for the R.M. of Alexander, Town of Powerview-Pine Falls and RM of Victoria Beach. It is a busy and growing facility offering essential community services. Allard Library is an exceptional community space.
Serving members of the community, from the youngest to the most senior, Allard Library is one of the oldest bilingual libraries in Manitoba. It is also one of the few francophone community services available in the area. Free to all residents within the funding municipalities, the library provides much more than books and magazines.
Library Allard provides computers with internet access for community members.
Allard Library provides summer reading programs; lifelong learning resources, literacy, photocopy, fax and many more much needed services to the community.
The library is open 33 hours/week, longer than most rural libraries in the province, with the public requesting even more hours.
Founded in 1983, Allard Library originally occupied 1500 sq.ft. on the main floor of what is now École Communautaire St-Georges, (a K-12 school) begun in 1994. The library then moved to a smaller area (1200 sq.ft.) in the lower level. There was no room for expansion. Growth in the community placed additional demands upon resources. Service was extended in 2006 to serve the nearby Town of Powerview-Pine Falls (pop.: 1,294). The school’s growth and need of the space that held the library resulted in Allard Library being asked to relocate from the school in the Fall of 2008. In November, 2008 the library moved into a new building through community support, grants and municipal support.
The Library provides activities for young and old, and is a valuable study resource for the students of the area.
Allard Library is also the administrative centre for the Victoria Beach Branch Library which serves the RM of Victoria Beach and the RM of Alexander. This branch opened in November of 2009. Allard Library is also used by residents of the Sagkeeng First Nations and Brokenhead Ojibway First Nations.