Huron County Library | Huron County Library

Reading…A Love Story

by Huron County Library | Feb 14, 2022 | Reading

What book inspired Huron County Library staff to fall head over heels with reading? Here is a selection of the some of the books that left their impression and kick-started a love of reading.

The Bailey School Kids by Debbie Dadey and Marcia T. Jones

“I am convinced that I read nothing but The Bailey School Kids books during the course of Grade 3. My classmates and I would always race one another to our school library to grab them before anyone else could. We would also challenge one another to see how many a month we could read. I credit these books for making me into the voracious reader I was when I got older.” – Avery, West Team Branch Assistant

Check out these Bailey School Kids books from our collection.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

“The first book I can recall falling in love with is Charlotte’s Web. A simple book about friendship and how it can overcome the odds. My Mom read it to me, I read it to my children, and for 12 years I read it to my kindergarten class (who would “remind” me if I forgot to bring it out each day). The magic lives on!” – Joy, North Team Branch Assistant

Check out Charlotte’s Web

Classics Illustrated Midsummer Night's Dream cover

Classics Illustrated: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare

“I thought it would be impossible to pick a single book that sparked my love of reading but then I remembered that when I was a child my grandmother kept a pile of comic books for us. My favourite was Classics Illustrated #87 – A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I would pore over this comic for hours. I truly believe it sparked my appreciation for graphic storytelling, plays and the magic of slipping into another world through the written word. ” – Michelle, Central Team Branch Manager

While this book is not available from the Huron County Library, check out other Classics Illustrated such as Wuthering Heights, Ivanhoe, and Hamlet.

Guests of War Trilogy by Kit Pearson

“Reading Kit Pearson’s Guests of War Trilogy is when I fell in love with reading. Thank goodness it was a series! It was the first time I remember being truly transported by a story. I immediately wanted to see the places that Nora and her brother Gavin traveled to. Even more than that, the books had the powerful ability to make me feel what the characters were experiencing. Being a similar age to the characters at the time, it opened my eyes to the complete range of experiences others can have in this world.” – Beth, County Librarian and Director of Cultural Services

Check out The Sky is Falling, Looking at the Moon, and The Lights Go on Again

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

“From the moment I checked out this book from my small elementary school library, I was hooked! I quickly fell in love with Anne’s antics, her imagination, the beautiful relationships that develop, and the language! As a young reader, this book exposed me to language I had never read in books before and I credit this book for making me the reader I am today.” – Amy, Cultural Services Marketing & Branding Coordinator

Check out Anne of Green Gables

All branches re-open for in-branch services

by Huron County Library | Feb 14, 2022 | News

The Huron County Library is pleased to announce that all 12 library branches will begin re-opening for limited in-branch services starting the week of Feb. 14.

Limited services include scheduled computer appointments, inside browsing and holds pick-ups, and space bookings. Given the unique design of each library space and the ever-evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, patrons are encouraged to contact their local branch to confirm hours and available services. For those of you not yet comfortable with visiting us indoors, curbside services will continue to be available at all branches.

In following the advice of local public health authorities, the Huron County Library continues to make every effort to ensure visits to each branch are safe and enjoyable for everyone. As a result, we ask that you review the following information before visiting:

To accommodate physical distancing, the number of people allowed in each branch is limited. Once capacity has been reached, you may be asked to wait outside before you can enter the branch.

According to Huron Perth Public Health guidelines, both staff and patrons are asked to wear a face covering at all times, even if fully vaccinated. Masks will be made available for those who may not have one.

The hours and services at each branch do vary and are subject to change based on County of Huron, Huron Perth Public Health, and Provincial advisement. Changes to staffing levels could also impact available services, so please visit HuronCountyLibrary.ca or follow Huron County Library on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on our hours and services.

If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you visit us at another time.

For those of you who are unable to access your local branch at this time, a wide variety of online services continue to be available through the Huron County Library website. Gain online access to movies, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, music, genealogy resources, and more for free with your library card. If you need help with renewing your library card or getting set up with a new card, please contact your local branch or visit our website for full membership details.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local branch or email libraryadmin@huroncounty.ca.

Huron County Library launches automatic renewals

by Huron County Library | Feb 8, 2022 | News

When life gets busy, the Huron County Library knows that renewing library items can easily be forgotten. So we are very pleased to announce that, in addition to eliminating overdue fines, we are also implementing an automatic renewal system that will now take care of renewing items for you!

Starting Feb. 7, eligible items will be automatically renewed on their due date up to two times. Email notifications will be sent to let you know which items have been automatically renewed so you can enjoy them a little longer. A new due date will be listed with each renewed item.

Items not eligible for automatic renewals include:

Items that have reached their maximum renewals (items renewed up to two times)
Items on hold for another patron
Book Club Sets
Items borrowed through Interlibrary Loan
Internet Hubs
Passes for parks, pools, recreation, etc.
Special collection items, such as e-readers and Launchpads

To keep track of due dates for all of your checkouts, log into your account online or contact staff at your local branch. Even if items renew automatically, you can always return them to a branch near you at any time before their due date.

What happens if items are not returned after the automatic renewal period?

Accounts will be blocked when an item is 3 weeks overdue and patrons will be unable to borrow library materials or access online resources with their Huron County Library card. Items can be returned at anytime to unblock an account.
Items that have been overdue for over 2 months are assumed lost, and the patron will be billed for the replacement costs. Charges are removed if the item is returned undamaged.
Any patron with bills over $10 for overdue Interlibrary Loan materials, damaged or lost items, will have their accounts blocked.
Any patron who has 20 or more overdue items will be immediately blocked.

If you have any questions, please email libraryadmin@huroncounty.ca or speak with your local branch staff.

Huron County Library received prestigious award for Digitized Newspaper project

by Huron County Library | Feb 8, 2022 | News

The Huron County Library is honoured to receive the Ontario Library Association’s (OLA) Archival and Preservation Achievement Award for the Huron County Digitized Newspaper project.

Virtually presented to library staff at the OLA Super Conference on Feb. 2, 2022, the award recognizes significant achievements in the field of preservation and/or conservation for library and/or archival materials.

Beginning in 2014, the digitization project has been a collaboration between the Huron County Library, Huron County Museum, the County of Huron, and the local community. The project has resulted in the digitization of more than 350,000 local newspaper and magazine pages from microfilm and hard copies. This collection preserves more than a century’s worth of local history from communities across the County.

“The Huron County Library has always been one of the most modern and innovative library systems in the province.” said Huron County Warden, Glen McNeil, “The Digitization Project is just one example of its leaderful and progressive work. Congratulations to everyone involved in this project. The recognition received is well deserved.”

The online collection brings together newspapers and magazines, spanning from 1848 to 2019, in one convenient location that anyone can access, for free, from anywhere there is an internet connection. Over the past two years, as libraries and museums were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, teachers, students, researchers, historians, and genealogists could still easily access Huron County history from around the world. In 2021 alone, the digitized newspaper collection received close to 20,000 visits, making it one of the most popular online resources that the County of Huron offers.

“The digitization project serves as an important contribution to improving access to community history for researchers, historians and genealogists, who continue to expand our understanding of our rural past,” said Beth Rumble, Director of Cultural Services and County Librarian. “New content is being digitized and added to the collection on an on-going basis, further preserving our archival resources for generations to come.”

Support for this project from the community has helped shape the success of this project.

“We appreciate how the news of the day provides tidbits and notes of interest to many researchers and are impressed how this remarkable project has evolved to become a rich asset to our community,” said Rhea Hamilton-Seeger, on behalf of the Huron County Historical Society. “We are proud that this unique resource was made possible through the foresight of the Huron County Museum and Huron County Library and is used not only in Huron, but across the digital world.”

With members across Canada and the United States, the Huron County Branch, Ontario Genealogical Society (OGS), having access to this digital collection has helped those researching their families’ Huron County roots.

“Newspapers provide a snapshot into our ancestors’ lives that is not available in government records,” said Huron County Branch, OGS, Chair Debra McAuslan. Having these available digitially for much of Huron County is a unique resource for an rural area in Ontario and we are grateful to the Huron County Library and Huron COunty Museum for making this possible.”

The full collection can be accessed from both the Huron County Library and the Huron County Museum websites or by directly visiting https://pubdocs.huroncounty.ca/WebLink/.

Watch the award presentation on YouTube: Ontario Library Association Awards Ceremony 2022 (presentation to Huron County Library starts at 35:15)

Bird Bingo

by Huron County Library | Feb 2, 2022 | Programming

Winter is a great time of year to spot birds around Huron County! Whether you are out on the local trails or watching your backyard bird feeders, there is still plenty of bird activity to enjoy despite the colder temperatures. So bundle up and join our Bird Bingo to see how many local birds you can find for a chance to win a birding prize pack. The Huron County Library is pleased to partner with Ontario’s West Coast and Nature’s Nest to help you attract more birds to your backyard. The prize pack includes a squirrel buster feeder, 10 pounds of seed, Feed the Birds book, suet and suet feeder, and more!

To win, complete a row or column on the Bingo sheet and return to your local Huron County Library branch by March 4, 2022 to be entered into a draw. Sheets can be printed at home (see link below) or picked up from your local branch. This activity is open to all ages! And if you manage to capture some photos of some of the birds you find along the way, feel free to share on social media and tag us @HuronCountyLibrary Happy birding!

Birding Resources & Coming Events

The Huron County Library has a number of resources available to help you learn more about birds, tools to help with birdwatching, passes to local parks, and more: