Picton library branch short-listed for service award

Prince Edward County’s Picton Public Library has been short-listed for an Ontario Public Library Service Award honouring its creation of a “Summer Fun Construction Zone”.

When Picton’s Main Street was scheduled for a summer-long closure in 2016, many downtown businesses worried about the decrease in both automotive and pedestrian traffic.

Barbara Sweet, CEO of the County of Prince Edward Public Library and Archives, saw opportunity to draw children and to educate them about construction while allowing hands-on activities related to construction work.

The outdoor “construction zone” play area was developed with assistance from Picton Home Hardware and Taggart construction.

The library’s project is short-listed among 16 nominations from across the province for the Minister’s Award for Innovation and the Angus Mowat Award of Excellence.

An independent committee of public library representatives is reviewing the submissions.

Ontario Public Library Week begins Oct. 15.
Visit peclibrary.org for more details. Some of the highlights:

Oct. 17 – Meet author Sally Barnes as she reads from her new book, Unleashed at the Picton branch from 6-7:30 p.m. Copies will be available for sale with 40 per cent of sales supporting the Loyalist Humane Society.
Oct. 18 meet Bev Marr, Peggy Ritchie and Marg Trompour at the Consecon Branch from 3-6 p.m. They will present a display on the history of canning in Prince Edward County as well as Canadian glass sealers. Coffee and cookies.
Oct. 19 at the Wellington Branch from 1-4 p.m. Meet Anne Stephenson who moved to the County with her husband Richard Brzozowski for a talk on her books and writing life.
Oct. 21 – Nancy Butler talks about the history of the Anne Farwell Library at the Milford Branch from 2-4 p.m.