Residents may find that the rebranding efforts at the Fort MacMurray Public Library pay off, with many benefits for all ages. Now the library will be the Wood Buffalo Regional Library and it will increase the focus placed on rural communities in Wood Buffalo. Rebranding was first considered when a rural needs assessment showed that their was a lack of consistent library service in the more rural areas of Wood Buffalo. WBPL acting director Melissa Flett explained “We do rural programming in our rural communities, but we are actually going to be doubling our program visits. We are also doing aboriginal planning. We have a new mantra, which is ‘Change it Up.’ We want residents to know we have books, but we are more than books. We are programming. We are partnerships. We are more than a library.”

Many resident in rural communities, including those in Fort Chipewyan, Anzac, Fort McKay, Conklin, and Janvier, reported a lack of services and availability. Rebranding efforts included changing the name from the Fort MacMurray Public Library to the Wood Buffalo Regional Library, but that was just a start. Books, downloadable content, and even new branches and facilities in rural areas are also part of the plan to expand the role that the library plays in Wood Buffalo communities. Partnerships with mobile apps that include Hoopla will allow library users to access other media that can be borrowed as well, such as audio books, movies, and downloadable content. The goal is to make all media available to everyone in the region, even those who reside in rural or remote areas.