The creation of leisure reading collections in health sciences libraries is a growing trend, due in part to research that has shown the connection between recreational reading and both academic achievement and personal and cultural enrichment.

This presentation will highlight the partnership process undertaken by Winnipeg Public Library and the University of Manitoba to create a leisure reading collection for faculty, staff, students, and patients and their families housed at the Neil John Maclean Health Sciences Library.

Included will be a discussion of the specific model used to create the collection; the creation of a partnership document outlining roles, responsibilities, desired outcomes and evaluation; and the challenges faced by the project. A preliminary evaluation of usage data will be presented, as well as future directions for the collection.