Whitchurch–Stouffville Public Library

Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library
Country Canada
Type Public library
Established 1877 (1877)
Location Whitchurch–Stouffville, Ontario
Coordinates 43°58′02″N 79°14′40″W / 43.96722°N 79.24444°W / 43.96722; -79.24444Coordinates: 43°58′02″N 79°14′40″W / 43.96722°N 79.24444°W / 43.96722; -79.24444
Branches 1
Access and use
Circulation 200,000
Members 20,000
Other information
Director Carolyn Nordheimer James
Website www.wsplibrary.ca

The Whitchurch–Stouffville Public Library is the public library of Whitchurch–Stouffville, Ontario, Canada, and is located in Stouffville.

Mission statement

"Inspiring curiosity, engaging the community, sharing knowledge"."[1]

History

Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library at its current location

The Whitchurch–Stouffville Public Library traces its heritage to 1877 when it was first established in Allan’s Jewellery Store. A key promoter was J. Wideman, the editor of the local newspaper, the Alert.[2] The library was known as the Mechanics' Institute, and for a time was located in the old Municipal Building (today The Lebovic Centre for Arts & Entertainment – Nineteen on the Park). It held 793 volumes in the early 1880s,[3] 1009 volumes in 1884,[4] and more than 2,500 in 1895.[5]

Stouffville's 1923 "Carnegie" Library

It became a free public library in 1899. The first permanent library was built in 1923 at 7 Main Street East, through a $6000 grant from the Carnegie Foundation and the generosity of many local donors.[2][6][7] The Carnegie Library could hold between 5,000 and 7,000 volumes; in 1923 it had 5,495 volumes;[8] in 1947, 7,246 volumes;[9] and in 1964 approximately 5,000 volumes[10] (the town's population in 1923 was under 2000; at amalgamation in 1971, Stouffville proper had a population of 5,036).[2][11] The Library moved to a 5,000-square-foot (465 m2) storefront in 1974[12] and then to a $360,000 new building at 6240 Main Street in 1977.[13] The library celebrated its 100th birthday on February 17, 1999. The Whitchurch-Stouffville Leisure Centre was constructed in 2001 at 2 Park Drive, a facility now occupied jointly by the department of Leisure Services and the library.

Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library Building, 1977-2001

The population of Whitchurch-Stouffville grew 87.5% between 2006 and 2015, from 24,390 residents[14] to approximately 45,000.[15] Correspondingly, the library's annual circulation also increased, from 104,998 items in 2005[16] to 245,200 in 2014.[17] Library funding as a percentage of the town operating budget declined from 5.1% in 2004[18] to 3.0% in 2007,[16] and to 2% in 2011.[15] Total expenditure increased from about $770,000 in 2004[18] to about $1,000,000 in 2011.[15] A consultants' report on Ontario municipalities prepared in 2010 ranked Whitchurch-Stouffville ninth of eleven Ontario communities in its population category for per capita library spending (based on 2009 data).[19] By 2011, Whitchurch-Stouffville's per capita library costs were $23, the lowest of sixteen Ontario towns in its population category (average $44).[20] In the same year (2011), the library found it necessary to cover basic library operating costs from the proceeds from its annual community book sale.[21]

The library will serve a projected a town population of 42,343 in 2013; 53,321 in 2021; and 62,321 in 2026.[22][23][24] An expansion of the library facility has been planned, but continually postponed; the town's 2009 capital budget called for the design work in 2011 and the construction in 2010,[25] the 2010 budget for design work in 2013 and construction in 2014,[26] the 2011 budget for design in 2014 and construction in 2015.[27] In June 2011 local book clubs and individuals began a grass-roots campaign to petition for greater municipal funding for the public library.[28]

Services

Whitchurch–Stouffville Public Library Interior

The Whitchurch–Stouffville Public Library offers library services, collections, access to technology and programs. It attracted more than 1,900 new members in 2010 and has over 20,000 active card holders. More than 57% of the community belongs to the Library. Circulation of materials was over 200,000 as of 2010, an increase of more than 12% over 2009.

Children’s Services

The Library has a wide array of programs and services for children. Free programs include story times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday mornings and Monday evenings, and movies on PA days and holidays. The Library runs programs and activities throughout the week of March Break and has a summer reading program. Craft programs, phonics classes, Baby Goose, and Mother Goose on the Loose are available for a nominal fee. All children’s computers are equipped with Encarta for Kids and Microsoft Office. Resources include a wide selection of books, graphic novels, talking books, compact discs, DVDs, and e-books.

Community Space

The library has a quiet magazine area for browsing periodicals or daily newspapers. There are comfortable chairs by a fireplace to encourage leisure reading and relaxation. Two rooms are available for small meetings and training sessions. The Library offers free wireless internet access throughout the building.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2010-2020 Strategic Plan" (PDF). Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library. p. 3. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  2. 1 2 3 Barkey, Jean (1977). Stouffville, 1877-1977 : a pictorial history of a prosperous Ontario Community. Stouffville, Ont.: Stouffville Historical Committee. pp. 48, 98, 99. OCLC 5221902. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  3. ↑ Mulvany, Charles Pelham (1885). History of Toronto and County of York, Ontario. Toronto: C.B. Robinson. p. 202. OCLC 62965041. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  4. ↑ Ontario Department of Education (1886). Report of the Minister of Education, 1885. Toronto: C. Blackett Robinson. p. 182. OCLC 448866953. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  5. ↑ Ontario Department of Education (1897). Report of the Minister of Education (Ontario) for the year 1896 with the statistics of 1895. Toronto: Warwick Bros. and Rutter. p. 334. OCLC 301465290. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  6. ↑ Smith, Fenella (1996-04-13). "Journey into Libraries' Past a Highlight of Meeting". Stouffville Tribune. p. 9. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  7. ↑ Beckman, Margaret; Langmead, Stephen; Black, John B (1984). The best gift: a record of the Carnegie libraries in Ontario. Toronto: Dundurn Press. p. 92. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  8. ↑ "Local happenings". Stouffville Tribune. 1924-02-14. p. 5. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  9. ↑ "Nearly 500 subscribers enjoy library privileges here". Stouffville Tribune. 1947-01-23. p. 1. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  10. ↑ "Stouffville Library newly decorated". Stouffville Tribune. 1964-01-23. p. 3. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  11. ↑ "Stouffville Library Board appeals to Town Council for new facilities". Stouffville Tribune. 1962-10-11. p. 1. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  12. ↑ "Library project in doubt after 'low' town offer". Stouffville Tribune. 1976-01-08. p. 1. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  13. ↑ "New Library Opens". Stouffville Tribune. 1977-07-07. p. 1. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  14. ↑ "Whitchurch-Stouffville (Code3519044)". 2006 Community Profiles. Ottawa: Statistics Canada. 2007-03-13. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 92-591-XWE. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  15. 1 2 3 "Town Council Approves 2011 Budget" (PDF) (Press release). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. 2011-02-23. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  16. 1 2 "2007 Whitchurch-Stouffville Annual Report" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. July 2008. p. cover. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  17. ↑ "Annual Report 2009" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. p. 2,9. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  18. 1 2 "Annual Report 2004" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. p. 13. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  19. ↑ "Municipal Study 2010" (PDF). BMA Management Consulting. p. 122. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  20. ↑ see BMA Municipal Study 2011, 152.
  21. ↑ Bolan, Sandra (2011-03-25). "Giant Book Sale Now Paying for Library Essentials". Stouffville Sun-Tribune. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  22. ↑ "Population Growth". Progress and Results. Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. 2009. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  23. ↑ Macaulay Shiomi Howson; Watson and Associates Economists; Brook McIlroy; GLPi (September 2009). "Community of Whitchurch-Stouffville Secondary Plan. Phase 2 Development Lands - Background and Options Report, Draft" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  24. ↑ In 2006, the Whitchurch-Stouffville hamlet of Ballantrae was identified by Statistics Canada as the fastest growing area in all of Canada. "Population and dwelling counts, for urban areas, 2006 and 2001 censuses - 100% data". Statistics Canada. 2008-11-05. Retrieved 2011-09-06.).
  25. ↑ "2009 Final business plan, capital & operating budgets & five year capital forecast" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. p. 157. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  26. ↑ "2010 Capital Budget & Five Year Forecast" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. p. 191. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  27. ↑ "Operating, Capital Budget and Ten Year Forecast" (PDF). Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. 2011-02-22. p. 240. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
  28. ↑ "Whitchurch-Stouffville Library Petition]". 2011-06-21. Retrieved 2011-09-06.
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