This year’s theme for October Library month is “Libraries for Life”. From newborn to school-aged, new adult to seniors, libraries have something for everyone.
Fall days are the ideal time to visit local libraries and, particularly, during October Library month. 
Sign up for a card, borrow an item or attend a program to earn a ballot for a gift bag containing a BCPL-branded picnic blanket, a $15 gift card to Indigo and a book-themed ornament.
Libraries have something for everyone and offer many services and collections that may come as a surprise. From fishing rods to snowshoes, Museum passes to robots, libraries now offer far more than books. BCPL even offers a conversion station to digitize old VHS tapes, photos, and slides, as well as 3D printers and Cricuts.
BCPL also supports lifelong learning through programming, collections, and digital databases, providing valuable resources and initiatives that enrich the lives of their patrons.
Throughout October, libraries will also be hosting Local Author Events.
- Barry Robinson, author of ‘A Seagull Named Papa’, an inspiring and fascinating read that will change the way you see yourself and the world around you, will be visiting the Lion’s Head Branch on Friday, October 13th at 11:00 a.m., and the Tobermory Branch, Tuesday, October 17th at 11:00 a.m.
- Katherine Martinko with her book ‘Childhood Unplugged’, as she offers practical advice on getting your children off screens and finding balance. This event will occur at the Port Elgin Branch on Saturday, October 21st, at 2:00 p.m.
Library Director, Brooke McLean, points out that libraries level the playing field by providing free access to all. “This access to information, to services such as free internet and digital literacy training, and to educational programming, leads to opportunity. Our local libraries are one of the last free community spaces, places where social inclusion and cultural awareness thrive.”
Looking back over the Summer, it also proved to be an outstanding success for the BCPL 2023 Summer Reading Club, which shattered all previous years’ records with an incredible 280,142 minutes of reading logged.
Branches hosted weekly Summer Reading Club meetings all summer long based on the theme ‘Check It Out’. Each meeting included staff-created programs with literacy-focused activities, games, and Story Times. There were also many special programs and visits to the Branches all through the summer. Canadian Raptor Conservatory brought their Birds of Prey show to Tobermory and Port Elgin Branches, and an incredible 173 people came out to visit the Scales Nature Reserve’s reptiles and amphibians presentation at Chesley Park.
This year, the Summer Reading Club also introduced BINGO through the online reading challenge platform ‘Beanstack’.
‘Beanstack’ auto-filled the readers’ cards as they earned virtual reading and activity badges. Kids who finished the entire card by completing 40 hours of reading and all eight activities received an additional book prize. Forty-four children across Bruce County reached this milestone!
“The response from the community was truly heartwarming,” said Program Coordinator, Nancy Kuhl. “We couldn’t be prouder of our readers for their enthusiasm and our Library staff who promoted the magic of reading weekly throughout the summer.”
While summer has come to a close, ‘Beanstack’ continues. The free service is a fun way to continue to track your reading, complete challenges, and win prizes!
In October, the excitement continues when the BCPL Bookmobile will begin visiting stops on the Fall/Winter schedule on Tuesday, October 10th. Visit the Library website for a route calendar. Route locations were carefully chosen to ensure maximum outreach to neighbourhoods with limited access to traditional Library services. From seniors’ homes to community centres and schools, when selecting stops, remote communities, senior isolation and mobility, and financial barriers were taken into consideration.
For more library news and to stay up to date on programs and special events happening, visit: Bruce County Public Library website
