In order to help manage the volume of activity during the closure, we have temporarily paused the ability to put physical library items on hold. You will still be able to access and place holds on digital resources like ebooks and audiobooks. Click here for details.
Public funding supports libraries, and private gifts help them flourish.
Your donations help fund priority needs not covered by your tax dollars and make a difference for everyone coming through the doors of the library.
All donations over $10 receive a charitable tax receipt, in accordance with Canada Revenue Agency guidelines. Our Charitable Registration Number is 107572489RR0001.
Make your donation now to help your library grow!
Over the past several years, our donors and sponsors have come together to support innovative and life-changing initiatives for our community.
After School Nutrition Program
To address the needs of the library’s younger customers who lack access to food after school, we have engaged a local chef to prepare nutritious food for 30 tweens and teens five days a week. This popular initiative is coupled with discussions to deepen the youth’s knowledge of food/nutrition and supports engaging after-school-programming in such areas as building, gaming, coding and drama.
Learning Garden
As part of the library’s Nutritional Literacy campaign, the beautiful Sheriff John Motz Courtyard has been transformed into a lush learning garden. Hundreds of lives, young and old, are touched each summer through the library’s programming – planting, studying, harvesting and consuming the bounty of this space. These activities continue inside the library during the colder months with a sleek, hydroponic tower garden.
The library’s newly opened digital media studio offers customers the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with the latest digital technology and tools in areas such as audio recording, video production, Computer Assisted Design (CAD), virtual reality, gaming and 3D printing. Exploration, creation and collaboration are supported with ongoing programming by staff and outside experts.
The library’s commitment to arts and culture is on full display in the reading lounge. On a weekly basis local musicians transform this space into a concert hall, performing jazz, rock, folk, world and classical music for the enjoyment of the library’s customers and staff.
Collections, Local History, Adult and Children's Programming
Many of the library’s core offerings are refreshed and kept vital by our donors and sponsors. From the popular annual Genealogy Fair to the innovative 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten, the library continues to engage customers of all ages in meaningful ways.
2020 will be a pivotal year for Kitchener Public Library as we seek to meet increased demand for content, programs and special events.
By embracing nutritional literacy, the library is engaged in a unique and powerful role in our community. In 2019 we impacted hundreds of lives with our learning garden, bee hives, after school nutrition project and programming supporting these initiatives. The opportunities to engage customers of all ages and groups are limitless. Join us in supporting these opportunities to foster healthy eating and sustainability in our community.
The vibrancy of the four Community Libraries is undeniable as each is highly attuned to the needs of the community it serves. For customers of all ages, these libraries are the anchor for social activities and programming, and a resource for accessing the services of the entire library system. Join us in supporting these indispensable civic institutions and help them better serve their communities through their collections, events and programming.
Donations to this fund allow the library to allocate resources where they are most urgently needed. In 2020 that could be new initiatives like supporting community story podcasts or providing free menstrual products, to more established needs such as expanding the large print collection or updating the free movie streaming service. Please join us in supporting our community.
