The Wellbeing and Community Connections team at Kitchener Public Library was established in 2018 and was one of the first of its kind for a public library in Canada. The team focuses on supporting vulnerable community members including members of the community experiencing homelessness, addiction and mental health concerns.
Bryan, Senior Library Assistant on the Wellbeing and Community Connections team, enjoys supporting the community and the opportunity to do so in the library setting. “That’s a big part of why I love working at Kitchener Public Library,” said Bryan. “I get to spend time with amazing people, sharing some of the humour and heartbreak of daily life and trying to support people and help them access supports.”
At Kitchener Public Library we believe that “the library belongs to the community, and everyone in the community belongs at the library.” This resonates strongly with Bryan, and he works to support this vision every day. When you see Bryan in action, his care and compassion for the community is clear.
“I get to be a presence in the library, connect with people and seek to support them in whatever way may be needed, useful or desired,” said Bryan. “This is meaningful and important work but also a challenge, especially when community resources like emergency shelter spaces are not keeping pace with needs.”
Bryan first got involved with community-focused work during the pandemic. He worked for three years at St. John’s Kitchen, a local community agency supporting the vulnerable sector including many people experiencing homelessness. At the library he continues to support community members and others by building relationships and making important connections.
“To be able to do this work in a library setting is amazing,” said Bryan. “The variety of people, the variety of programming, the connection and collaboration with different community partners and agencies – it's good to be able to do this work together.”
Get to know Bryan
This or That
- Fiction or non-fiction: Both
- Digital or vinyl: Digital
- Coffee or tea: Coffee
- Summer or winter: Summer
- Dogs or cats: Cats
- Night Owl or early bird: Night owl for socializing, early bird for creativity
- Search the catalogue or browse the stacks: Browse the stacks
Favourites
- Movie: The Milagro Beanfield War
- Snack: Crackers and cheese
- Hobby: Sketching and painting
- Sports team: Toronto Blue Jays
- Holiday: Summer camping season