People use public libraries for all kinds of reasons. Some come for books, of course, but others come to create, to meet and to learn.

Here are five reasons you may wish to make visiting the County of Prince Edward Public Library & Archives part of your 2023.

•Borrow, don’t buy!  In addition to books, the library has a surprising array of things you can borrow – from WIFI hotspots that allow you to connect to the internet from almost anywhere, to musical instruments, to provincial parks passes and more.   Thanks to the Picton Recreation Committee we even have snowshoes you can borrow.  The library doesn’t charge late fees, so borrowing can be stress-free.

•Did you get some tech over the holidays? The library’s tech staff Aaron and Adam are happy to help you learn how to use it in one-on-one appointments – available at no cost.  If you’ve been meaning to back up your photos, want to learn how to make the font size on your cell phone bigger or need other help, they’re happy to assist and promise an appointment free of “geek speak”, or hard to understand vocabulary.  They are planning workshops for spring 2023 where you can learn in a group – connect with Aaron by email – [email protected] or call him at (613) 399-2023 to find out more.

•Meet new people.  Join a group or club at the library – book club, Newcomers group and more – and get to know people who share your interests.   If you have small children, storytime is a great way to get to know other families in the same age group.  You can also just drop by to read the newspaper or use the WIFI in a welcoming environment.  Libraries are often called the heartbeat of a community and for good reason.

•Explore County History. The Archives is a treasure trove of interesting information. Make an appointment to discover the history of your home or neighbourhood, check out old issues of the newspaper on microfilm and more. Call (613) 399-2023 for more details about how you can make use of the Archives this year.

•The most exciting thing at the library in 2023 might be the expansion of the Picton Branch Library. This project, many years in the making, will be completed in 2023 and we’ll have new spaces, more books and new programs for everyone.  This will help improve library services across the County (more books in Picton means more books for every branch).

We can’t wait to welcome you! There are so many reasons to use the library this year, and we hope you’ll drop by and check out your library. There are six branches – Ameliasburgh, Bloomfield, Consecon, Milford, Picton and Wellington – and you’re welcome to use any, or all of them!

-Liz Zylstra