A Quiet Space for Everyone: How Fraser Valley Regional Library Deployed 15 One+ Focus Pods

The Soundproof Pods Their Community Had Been Asking For

British Columbia’s largest public library system serves almost 911,000 people across communities with very different needs. Fifteen Bureau One+ Focus soundproof pods gave more of them something the library had struggled to provide for years: a private place to focus, speak, and simply be.

At a Glance

• 15 One+ Focus soundproof pods across FVRL’s 25 library locations
• Serving almost 911,000 people across 15 municipalities and regional districts
• 412 completed bookings in the first month after public launch
• Used for job interviews, online exams, telehealth, podcasting, book narration, and focused work
• A shared online system lets customers book an acoustic pod at any participating location

A library for the whole community

Established in 1930, Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) is the largest public library system in British Columbia. Its 25 community libraries stretch from Boston Bar through the Fraser Valley and into Metro Vancouver.

But its scale is only part of the story. FVRL serves almost 911,000 people across 15 municipalities and regional districts. Its customers include young families, students, seniors, newcomers, unhoused neighbours, and affluent professionals.

“We are one of the few community spaces that serve everyone,” says Jenn Fehr, Manager of Marketing and Communications. “Everyone is welcome.”

For Heather Scoular, Director of Customer Experience, that begins with seeing the person before the service. “We are a free, open service. We encourage loitering. Come to us. Who does that?”

FVRL’s mission is “opening minds, enabling dreams.” In practice, that means continually looking beyond the library’s walls and asking what problems people are trying to solve in their lives. Sometimes the answer is help accessing an online government service. Sometimes it is digital literacy, understanding AI, or finding resources for a growing family. Increasingly, it is simply having somewhere quiet to go.

“We serve people from cradle to grave,” Heather says. “We’re with them the whole way.”

The quietest request was becoming the loudest

FVRL’s libraries are active, vibrant community spaces. Children’s programs, group meetings, and thousands of annual events happen alongside reading, studying, and borrowing.

“There’s no shushing going on in our libraries,” Jenn says.

That energy is part of what makes the libraries welcoming. It also made one of FVRL’s most common requests difficult to answer: Where can I find somewhere quiet?

Most locations have few, if any, bookable rooms. Study areas offer some separation, but not total silence or privacy. Customers needed somewhere to take a video interview, complete a proctored exam, record a podcast, or find relief from sensory overload.

The need has become more pressing as housing costs rise. Many people in their 20s and 30s now share smaller homes with roommates and have no private place to take an important call.

“It is the need that we all know we’ve been asked for, for a very long time,” Heather says.

Quiet space was not treated as an extra. It appeared in FVRL’s strategic plan and had become one of the most consistent concerns raised by customers.

Finding a solution that fit 15 different libraries

Heather led the project alongside FVRL’s executive team and CEO. The team visited Bureau’s Vancouver showroom, tested the products, and worked through questions about construction, technology, ventilation, and installation.

The process took close to a year. Heather says she appreciated that Bureau never pushed FVRL to move faster than they were ready to.

“No matter when I reached out, there was someone to talk to me and answer my questions. I never felt rushed.”

That time allowed FVRL to choose premium modular office pods suited to the different sizes, layouts, and aesthetics of its libraries. Ultimately, the One+ Focus model was selected. Its spacious 1-person footprint, integrated desk, ergonomic chair, and built-in power made it the ideal “micro-office” for patrons needing maximum privacy without taking up excessive library floor space.

“It is the need that we all know we’ve been asked for, for a very long time,” Heather reflects. “Bureau has soundproof booths that fit so many different locations, sizes, and needs. It has been a simple, beautiful experience.”

Installation created another challenge. Some locations had tight entrances and limited space for assembly. Bureau worked through the logistics of each site individually, coordinating all 15 installations within a tight two-week window.

The support continued after delivery. When FVRL finalized its tablet booking setup, the Bureau technicians worked alongside FVRL’s Manager of IT, Devan Mitchell, and his team to reopen the pods and route the power internally, leaving the wiring completely clean and hidden.

“You really took the time to get to know us and our needs,” Heather says. “It’s been a simple, beautiful experience.”

A door someone can close

The One+ Focus privacy booths are now used for everything from online exams and creative work to job interviews and book narration. One customer recently finished a video call, stepped out of the pod, and announced: “I got the job.”

That moment captured exactly what the project was meant to do. The soundproof booth was not simply another piece of furniture; it gave someone the privacy and confidence to take an important step in their life.

The response has been incredibly strong, even in FVRL’s larger libraries. Clearbrook Library, for example, already has 20,000 square feet and several meeting spaces. Heather expected the pod to be useful there, but perhaps not essential. Then a customer described it as exactly what they had been waiting for.

“It really fills a unique need, even if there are other spaces around you,” Heather says.

Customers also notice the premium details: fresh air flow, adjustable fans, and dimmable lighting. These features give people something that can be hard to find in a busy public space: control over their surroundings.

“Sometimes people are just looking for a quiet space,” Jenn says. “They might not be doing something exciting. They just need the silence.”

412 bookings and counting

FVRL officially launched the soundproof pods across its system on June 15, 2026. Since then, customers have completed 412 bookings, showing rapid adoption across the participating locations.

FVRL paired the booths with an online booking system developed by Jenn and her team using Springshare. Customers can check real-time availability across every participating library, reserve an hour from home, and enter a code when they arrive. Staff can also make walk-in bookings, extend sessions, or override limits when needed.

The system lets people access the pods independently without requiring staff to manage paper sign-up sheets or referee competing requests.

For FVRL, that flexibility is the real value. A library does not need a major, costly renovation or a dedicated meeting room to offer someone privacy. It can create a highly functional new space within the footprint it already has.

“Where we can add additional services that suit the needs of our communities, that’s what we try to do,” Jenn says.

The pods help FVRL do exactly that: meet people where they are, understand what they need, and give them a quiet place to move forward.

Bring quiet and focus to your community

Whether you are managing a bustling public library, a high-growth office, or a flexible community space, Bureau soundproof pods offer a simple, beautiful solution to the loud modern world.

Give your people the quiet space they’ve been asking for.

Explore Bureau’s Range of Soundproof Pods or book a visit to one of our showrooms