Guelph Public Library is a

public library A public library is a 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 service, civil servants. There are ...

system serving the city of

Guelph Guelph ( ; 2021 Canadian Census population 143,740) is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Kitchener and west of Downtown Toronto, at the intersection of Highway 6, Highway 7 and Well ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central C ...

, Canada. The main library downtown, five branches, and a

bookmobile A bookmobile or mobile library is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Bookm ...

(seven branches total) serve about 123,000 residents in Guelph. The current

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especiall ...

is Steven Kraft.

Branches

*Bullfrog Mall *Bookmobile *East Side *Main *Scottsdale *West End *Westminster

History

In 1883, the Guelph Public Library was the first public library in Ontario established under the Public Library Act of 1882. The collection of the Farmers and Mechanics Institute library, which had been a free public lending library since 1850, was contributed to the newly founded Guelph Public Library. The first library building was completed in September 1905 at the corner of Norfolk and Paisley streets downtown, partly through a Carnegie Foundation grant of $24,000. The neo-classical (Beaux Art) structure, had been designed in 1902 by W. Frye Colwill. According to a University publication, "The library permitted free access, used the Dewey Decimal system classification, and provided a card catalogue. The motto, "Floreat Scientia" ("Let Knowledge Grow") was carved above the stone entrance. A special Guelph feature was its dome, one of the few built in this fashion in Canada". It was demolished in 1964 in spite of public opposition, and replaced with the current structure on Norfolk St. A new public library may be built near the Baker St. parking lot, which is to be redeveloped as the Baker District. Preliminary discussions about a new main branch had taken place by summer 2017 with some decision expected to be made in 2018. Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

References

{{Authority control Public libraries in Ontario Buildings and structures in Guelph Culture of Guelph Education in Guelph