Markdale Walter Harris Memorial Library (Photo provided by Jennifer Murley)
The Markdale Walter Harris Memorial Library has reopened after undergoing renovations.
CEO and Chief Librarian of the Grey Highlands Public Library Jennifer Murley says the branch reopened on Nov. 7 after the first renovation the building received since it opened in 2001.
“In 2023 we did secure $30,000 from our municipal council to do a library refresh,” says Murley. “We closed for two weeks and we were able to replace all of the flooring, we did some minor painting and we did an entire new layout for the library.”
She says the library now has a larger childrens area, and has a reduced collection to make room for community space and seating. She adds they also paved the way for a new makers space which will be coming to the library next year.
She says with the new renovation, they are making a shift from a traditional library where there are only books to following their new 2023 to 2026 strategic plan and provide a balance of a collection of books and technology.
“Libraries are really shifting. The library’s role in communities now is still much about literacy but there is also other components. There is digital literacy, there is the idea of space as a service,” says Murley.
She says the library will also provide other services including renting technology like iPads, checking out equipment like telescopes, and getting Ontario Parks passes.
“Our vision is to be the place to inspire, explore, discover, and create and this renovation is the first step of many in achieving that goal,” says Murley.
The Grey Highlands Public Library is a three-branch system which has libraries in Flesherton, Markdale and Kimberley.
More details can be found here.
