Clearview Public Library is a

public library A public library is a library, most often a lending library, that is accessible by the general public and is usually funded from public sources, such as taxes. It is operated by librarians and library paraprofessionals, who are also Civil servic ...

serving the residents of the Township of Clearview,

Simcoe County Simcoe County is a county and census division located in the central region of Ontario, Canada. The county is located north of the Greater Toronto Area, and forms the north western edge of the Golden Horseshoe. The county seat is located in Mi ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada, and through contracts to the residents of the adjoining townships of

Adjala–Tosorontio Adjala–Tosorontio is a township in south-central Ontario, Canada, in the County of Simcoe. A predominantly rural area, Adjala–Tosorontio contains numerous small villages and hamlets. Many communities were started in Adjala by Irish Cathol ...

, Simcoe County, and

Mulmur Mulmur is a township in Dufferin County in Southern Ontario, Canada. There are a number of original settlements such as Mulmur Corners, some of which can still be identified as to location, including Rosemont and Stanton. Communities The townshi ...

Dufferin County Dufferin County is a county and census division located in Central Ontario, Canada. The county seat is Orangeville, and the current Warden is Janet Horner. The current chief administrative officer is Sonya Pritchard. Dufferin covers an area of ...

. Library branches are located in the communities of Stayner, Creemore and New Lowell. A drop box is located in the community of Nottawa.

History

Before the formation of Clearview Township, local Women's Institutes played a significant role in establishing local libraries. The Stayner chapter of the Women's Institute owned the Stayner Branch library building at 201 Huron Street until just after World War II. After the war, this building was remodeled and the Women's Institute waived the final $900 payment on the Stayner Branch, returning the money to the Library Board for the purchase of new books. In 1921, the first public library in Creemore was located on the top floor of the Corbett Drug Store. Miss Flossie Weir was appointed as the first librarian. In the next 15 years, the library moved to the upstairs of the Matchett House, and then the Village Council struck a deal with the municipality to move the library to the "old bank building" as a Canadian Centennial project in 1966. In 1989, plans to enlarge the library's space began as part of the Centennial celebrations. By 1992, the ground was broken, and the new building erected at 165 Library Street that same year. A Friends of the Library continues to offer support to the Creemore Branch. For many years the Sunnidale branch was located in the New Lowell Community Hall, and then relocated to a small portable. After a dedicated community fundraising effort, the Sunnidale Branch was again relocated into a reclaimed historical schoolhouse in New Lowell. The 137-year-old schoolhouse on County Road 9 was extensively renovated, and opened its doors as a library in March, 2008.

Services

All locations offer programs for children, summer reading program, teen programs, and the opportunity to join the bookclub at the Stayner branch. Collection materials include print books, books on CD,

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s, DVDs, music CDs and talking books provided by the

CNIB The CNIB Foundation () is a Canadian charitable organization and volunteer agency dedicated to assisting Canadians who are blind or living with vision loss, and to provide information about vision health for all Canadians. Founded in 1918 as th ...

. Library card holders may also download free audiobooks and ebooks through the library's website, and consult staff for reference assistance through the Ask Ontario service. Career access computers, in-house public computers, and wireless internet service are available at each branch. Interlibrary Loan service is facilitated through association with the Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS). The Stayner Branch of Clearview Public Library acts as the administrative/management centre and is the repository for its resource collection and both provincial and federal government documents.

Mission statement

Clearview Public Library exists to respond to the educational, informational and cultural needs of the residents in the communities that make up the Township of Clearview.

References

* * * *To Move Ahead: Report of the Library Development Committee. Stayner, Ontario: November 2008, Appendix F.

External links

* {{Authority control Public libraries in Ontario Libraries established in 1921 1921 establishments in Canada