The County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives offers a wide array of services and resources.

Even long-time library patrons are sometimes surprised at all the things the library offers.

We thought this would be a good time to share the top five things you may not know about your library! Let us know when you drop into your localbranch – did you know about all of these services? Were you surprised by anything?

Number One: Borrow a fishing rod and reel. Thanks to the Tackleshare program, the library has the gear you need to make a fishing outing a success. This is just one of the many things beyond books you can borrow – we also have technology, musical instruments and more.

Number Two: Get your fire permits, PEC Summer Pass and more. With six branches across the County the library is a convenient neighbourhood pickup point for some municipal services, and we’re happy to help.

Number Three: Borrow books from across Ontario! Libraries are experts in sharing and recognizing that we can’t possibly hold published every book in our buildings, we rely on sharing with other libraries. If there’s something you would like to read that is not available at the County of Prince Edward Public Library, we can request it from another library. It arrives at our library by mail and after processing it will be sent to your preferred branch for pickup.

Number Four: Discover the history of your home. If you live in Prince Edward County, the Archives can help you learn more about your home. You don’t need to live in a heritage or historically significant house to find something about your home in the Archives! Contact the Archives at (613) 399-2023 to make an appointment.

Number Five: The library’s Bloomfield Branch is home to a number of special collections. The McLuhan collection, donated by the McLuhan family, includes many works by Marshall McLuhan. The Bloomfield Branch is also home to a collection of books donated by Hospice Prince Edward. These books cover many aspects of grief and loss and can be requested at any library branch in Prince Edward County.

If you are interested in any of these services you can ask us at any branch of the library. We have six branches (Ameliasburgh, Bloomfield, Consecon, Milford, Picton and Wellington) which make up one library. If you see a service or program at another public library that you think should be offered in Prince Edward County, please don’t hesitate to share your ideas with us.

Most of our most successful programs and service started because someone asked.

-Liz Zylstra