National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

by | Sep 27, 2024 | Collection Materials, Exeter Branch, Goderich branch, Online Resources

The Huron County Library marks National Day for Truth and Reconciliation and Orange Shirt Day on Sept. 30 to honour the children who never returned home and survivors of residential schools, as well as their families and communities. The library encourages the community to join us in learning more about the experiences of the children, families and communities impacted by Canada’s residential schools, which is a vital component of the reconciliation process.

To support this learning, we’re highlighting events and valuable resources from our collection below:

 

In-branch:

  • Drop into any Huron County Library branch on Sept. 30 to pick up an Every Child Matters button to show your support. Staff will also be honouring Orange Shirt Day by wearing orange.

Events:

  • Special Storytime Trail with Indigenous Author Kristi White: Join us Wednesday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m., at the MacNaughton Park Pavilion in Exeter for storytelling, songs and a SURPRISE with Indigenous author Kristi White to launch her book series The Adventures of Jay and Gizmo on the MacNaughton-Morrison Storytime Trail! The story will be available on the trail until the end of October.
  • Art & Symbols: Painting Turtle Island: Join us Saturday, Oct. 5, 1 p.m., for an enriching cultural experience at the Goderich Branch as we welcome renowned Ojibway artist Red George of Red Dog Art Studios. Participants will have the unique opportunity to explore the cultural and spiritual meanings behind Indigenous symbols in art and their significance in storytelling and tradition. Afterwards, participants of all ages will have the opportunity to create their own painting of the turtle, representing Turtle Island, a name used by some Indigenous peoples for Earth, or North and Central America. Registration required: Please contact the Goderich Branch by email goderichlibrary@huroncounty.ca or by phone 519-524-9261 to register.
  • Thanks to everyone who joined us in Seaforth on Sept. 26 for a First Nations Beading Workshop and in Exeter on Sept. 19 for Storytelling and First Nations crafting for kids.

Read:

  • First Nation Communities Read celebrates the very best of Indigenous literature across Turtle Island. The program encourages family literacy, intergenerational storytelling as well as intergenerational knowledge transmission. FNCR also helps to increase awareness of the importance of First Nation, Metis and Inuit writing, illustration and publishing. Explore our collection through our online catalogue.

Watch:

Learn:

  • Cherokee is the language of North America’s Cherokee people. It is one of the healthiest Indigenous languages of North America with an extensive library of literature and a significant community of native speakers. Visit Mango Languages to start learning the language and culture. 
  • The Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have a variety of resources available online to learn and reflect on the ongoing legacy of Residential Schools.
  • Learn more about the Calls to Action outlined in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada report.
Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit highlights impact Huron County Library services have on community

Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit highlights impact Huron County Library services have on community

by | Sep 4, 2024 | News

Public libraries are critical cultural and social infrastructure for the communities they serve, and new findings released from the Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit show that every $1 invested in the Huron County Library generates $4.66 in Social Return on Investment (SROI).

SROI takes something offered at no charge and applies a dollar value to it. Impacts include direct spending, direct benefits and indirect benefits.

Developed in collaboration with the NORDIK Institute and the Ontario Library Service, the toolkit was developed to help Ontario libraries measure their value and impact within their communities. The toolkit specifically measured the SROI of library services on seven different domains: education, culture, inclusion and well-being, entertainment and leisure, economic development, civic engagement, and space.

Libraries are integral for building personal entrepreneurial, and social capacity through access to information, programs and opportunities for community engagement. As a result, the overall economic benefit the Huron County Library has to the local community totals $17,555,981. This number translates to an overall economic benefit of $596 per household or $286 per resident. For every hour the library’s 12 branches are open to the public, the economic benefit is $413. 

Specific impacts for the different domains are:

  • Education: $1,360,502
  • Culture: $346,459
  • Inclusion and Well-being: $529,672
  • Entertainment and Leisure: $10,003,283
  • Economic Development: $3,373,143
  • Civic Engagement: $26,916
  • Space: $1,916,003

“The results demonstrate the significant impact the library has in our communities and supports the library’s continued work to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives and support a thriving community,” said County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services Beth Rumble.

To learn more, an infographic has been created to outline results.

Add a Huron County Library card to your back-to-school list

Add a Huron County Library card to your back-to-school list

by | Aug 23, 2024 | Children & Families, Library Card, Object Library, Online Resources

Get ready to head back to school by registering for a Huron County Library card! Access a wide variety of FREE resources to support learning for ALL ages!

The Huron County Library offers a variety of Online Resources that provide card holders 24/7 access from home. Find tools to support literacy, creativity and research supports, including:

  • PebbleGo is packed with informational articles, ready-made activities, and literacy supports for K-3 students of all abilities. To access from home, a username and password is required. Contact your local library branch for this information.
  • Tumblebooks offers resources for children in K-6, including animated talking picture books, chapter books, videos, non-fiction books, playlists, graphics novels.
  • cloudLibrary provides access to over 120,000 eBooks and Audiobooks for download or streaming.
  • Mango Languages is a powerful learning platform that delivers fast and effective language learning.
  • Canadian Reference Centre can support research projects through its database that includes leading Canadian and international periodicals, reference books, biographies, and images.
  • Never stop learning through kanopy’s The Great Courses which offers enriching courses by the world’s greatest professors and experts on history, science, religion, health, travel, and more.
  • The Huron County Library supports life-long learning through Contact North, which brings distant learning options to local residents, and Gale Courses, which offers six-week personal and professional courses led by expert instructors.

The Huron County Library’s Object Library offers a wide variety of items to support hands-on learning, including:

Of course, the library also offers a great collection of books on an endless variety of topics for all ages and interests! And if you’re looking for in-person opportunities, each of our 12 branches offers programs and events for all ages to come together to learn something new while having lots of fun!

Fall Craft Swap

Fall Craft Swap

by | Aug 1, 2024 | Adults, Crafts

Calling all crafters! Love crafting and love seeing others enjoy what you make? Join the Fall Craft Swap where you will be partnered with another crafter in Huron County!

Make your partner a custom craft, while they do the same for you! All crafting mediums welcome – knitting, crocheting, sewing, candle making, pottery, scrapbooking, needlefelting, etc. The sky is the limit!

Guidelines: We ask that you craft TWO small items or ONE medium sized item.

  • Medium = A scarf, a wallet, a set of notecards (4), a reusable shopping bag
  • Small = A piece of jewelry, a bookmark, a washcloth, a facemask, a small candle

Please note that a library staff person will be in touch with you between Sept. 13 and 16 to assign your partner. You will have from Sept. 16 to Oct. 14 to craft. Please drop your completed craft off to your local Huron County Library branch between Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 (or earlier). You will receive the craft from your partner in November. A library staff person will send email reminders along the way. Please ensure that crafts do not exceed the size of a standard tote box (28” x 17” x 15″).

*Should a partner not complete a craft, an alternate partner will be arranged. Should multiple partners not complete a craft, individuals may be paired with one another. Pre-completed crafts will be used in reassignments (no need to make an entirely new craft!).

Important Dates:

  • Registration: Aug. 22 – Sept. 12
  • Partner Assigned: Sept. 13-16
  • Crafting: Sept. 16-Oct. 14
  • Craft Due: Oct. 15-22

Registration: Huron County Library Fall Craft Swap | Huron County Connects (connectedcountyofhuron.ca)

Need some inspiration? Explore our online catalogue for a wide variety of crafty books or explore Creativebug, an online resource that offers online craft workshops for free with a Huron County Library card!  

 

Bayfield Pizza Pages: Summer Reading Challenge

Bayfield Pizza Pages: Summer Reading Challenge

by | Jun 5, 2024 | Bayfield branch, Children & Families, Reading

Kids, get ready to dive into the wonderful world of books and embark on a reading journey like no other! Join us this summer for an exciting adventure as Olio partners with the Huron County Library’s Bayfield Branch to present the ultimate summer reading challenge! From July through August, kids ages 4-12 are being challenged to read as many books as possible.

At the end of the challenge, top readers will earn an exclusive invitation to a pizza party provided by Olio! Imagine enjoying delicious slices of pizza or some fabulous spaghetti with fellow bookworms, celebrating everyone’s reading accomplishments in style.

Gather your favourite books, unleash your imagination, and let’s make this summer a memorable one filled with stories, excitement, and of course, plenty of pizza! Get ready to turn the pages and devour those books – the Pizza Party awaits the champions of reading!

Full program details:

  • Ages: 4-12
  • How to Participate: This program is intended for patrons of the Bayfield Branch. Please visit the branch to register and to receive your reading log. Track your reading, and once it’s full bring it back to the branch to be entered into the Pizza Pages Reading Challenge. The top readers will be invited to attend a special pizza party hosted by Olio. Each log will earn readers a small prize.
  • Dates: July 2-Aug 23
  • Deadline: All reading logs must be returned to the branch by Aug. 23.
  • Questions? Email bayfieldlibrary@huroncounty.ca or call 519-565-2886