Me & My Library

What does Ottawa Public Library mean to you?

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  The last safe haven where no money is spent

  by Jillian W, about 2 years ago
  Life is getting increasingly more expensive, it seems that going out to do something might set you back a few bucks!

  But the library is that one place with so much to offer, and still free to the public. Reading provides me with immense meaning in my life, and I would not be able to read the quantity that I do without the library. A hobby with no sign up fees or costs.

  I make sure that everyone I know has a library card, because there is always something it can offer to someone.

  Thank you to the librarians of... Continue reading

  Life is getting increasingly more expensive, it seems that going out to do something might set you back a few bucks!

  But the library is that one place with so much to offer, and still free to the public. Reading provides me with immense meaning in my life, and I would not be able to read the quantity that I do without the library. A hobby with no sign up fees or costs.

  I make sure that everyone I know has a library card, because there is always something it can offer to someone.

  Thank you to the librarians of OPL, you are greatly appreciated.
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  Finding Warmth in Winter: A Day at the Library

  by Soungui & Alycia Koulamallah , about 2 years ago

  On cold winter days, my husband and I love to escape into the warmth of the downtown library. There's something so cozy about browsing the shelves, discovering new books, and then settling in to read while staying snug inside. It’s one of our favorite ways to enjoy the quiet of winter, surrounded by stories, ideas, and the peaceful atmosphere that only a library can offer.

  On cold winter days, my husband and I love to escape into the warmth of the downtown library. There's something so cozy about browsing the shelves, discovering new books, and then settling in to read while staying snug inside. It’s one of our favorite ways to enjoy the quiet of winter, surrounded by stories, ideas, and the peaceful atmosphere that only a library can offer.
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  The Equalizer

  by cecOmine, about 2 years ago
  Hello, I write to explain the importance of libraries in my life.

  The primary reason for my love of libraries is that prior to retiring, I taught English at the high school level. Books were and are my life. There was something wonderful that happened when I had a library day and set my students loose in our school library. They could not get in fast enough and before long, even my reluctant readers were off in a corner with a book or a magazine. Escaping the tyranny of chairs and desks, they could sprawl anywhere on the carpet and... Continue reading

  Hello, I write to explain the importance of libraries in my life.

  The primary reason for my love of libraries is that prior to retiring, I taught English at the high school level. Books were and are my life. There was something wonderful that happened when I had a library day and set my students loose in our school library. They could not get in fast enough and before long, even my reluctant readers were off in a corner with a book or a magazine. Escaping the tyranny of chairs and desks, they could sprawl anywhere on the carpet and they would be lost for an entire period.

  As a secondary reason, there is a freedom to a library that ignores race, socioeconomic status, faith, and appearance. Everyone is welcome and no one is an outsider. Even someone struggling to pay their rent can find resources like computers, printers, and entertainment. A library gives everyone a chance to better themselves. My local library is in a city centre and its always busy with kids, seniors, homeless, and teens; each with their own needs and all of those needs being met. I love going in there.

  Finally, I love libraries because I enter another world there. I can happily lose hours wandering the shelves looking for my next favourite author. I am quite the introvert but there is a home for quiet people there. There are also corners for the lonely to find friends or book club members to chat with.

  Libraries are the unspoken heroes of a city. I can't think of anyplace else that asks for so little, yet gives so much.
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  The OPL has enriched my life in a multitude of ways

  by Janet Ginsburg Cohen, about 2 years ago
  I started visiting the Carlingwood branch of the OPL in the mid 1950s.

  I had a dear cousin who worked as a librarian there and it made my visits that much more special.

  Over the years I was a consistent borrower of books and I took advantage of the excellent reference section.

  I also was grateful for various tutorials that helped my with technology and typing skills.

  I am so very grateful to have so many branches and services available.

  Long may our libraries prosper.

  
  

  
  

  I started visiting the Carlingwood branch of the OPL in the mid 1950s.

  I had a dear cousin who worked as a librarian there and it made my visits that much more special.

  Over the years I was a consistent borrower of books and I took advantage of the excellent reference section.

  I also was grateful for various tutorials that helped my with technology and typing skills.

  I am so very grateful to have so many branches and services available.

  Long may our libraries prosper.

  
  

  
  
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  OPL Helps Strengthen our Community

  by iSisters, about 2 years ago
  

  As a volunteer at a tiny Ottawa-based charity serving marginalized women, girls and gender diverse people, I know that every penny counts. That's why the free access that the Ottawa Public Library provides to services like "Grant Connect" is so important. With free access while in the library, a volunteer like me can help determine the fundraising plan for our grass-roots non-profit. This helps us put more of our donor dollars towards the services needed by our learners!

  As a volunteer at a tiny Ottawa-based charity serving marginalized women, girls and gender diverse people, I know that every penny counts. That's why the free access that the Ottawa Public Library provides to services like "Grant Connect" is so important. With free access while in the library, a volunteer like me can help determine the fundraising plan for our grass-roots non-profit. This helps us put more of our donor dollars towards the services needed by our learners!
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  Support When I was Down and Out

  by Sharpe's Fan, about 2 years ago
  There was a time in the past when the Ottawa Public Library meant a great deal to me. I had graduated from university, but had difficulty finding a job. Living in a rooming house and on social assistance, there were not too many bright points in my life except for the library. I had a small tv, but could not afford cable. But I did also have a vcr, and could borrow videos based on Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series and other movies. More than that - I could read the books in the Sharpe series I hadn't yet encountered. The... Continue reading

  There was a time in the past when the Ottawa Public Library meant a great deal to me. I had graduated from university, but had difficulty finding a job. Living in a rooming house and on social assistance, there were not too many bright points in my life except for the library. I had a small tv, but could not afford cable. But I did also have a vcr, and could borrow videos based on Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series and other movies. More than that - I could read the books in the Sharpe series I hadn't yet encountered. The library was often a comfortable and familiar environment where I could read newspapers and magazines, or work on my job search. I eventually found work and my circumstances improved greatly. The library helped me get through that rough time in my life and I will never forget it. I don't know what I would have done without the resources the library had to allow me to lift my spirits when I was down.
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  A Place With No Expectations

  by Kyra, about 2 years ago

  If you enter a store it's usually with a purpose and expectation to look and most likely buy something. Enter a restaurant and you are expected to buy something even if it's only as small as a drink. Going to be park is free, but the weather doesn't always make it comfortable. A library though, a library is many things and expects nothing but common courtesy.

  When I was young it was a calm quiet place to wait out of bad weather of all seasons or a landmark to wait for an after school ride. Internet, books, comfort, kindly adults... Continue reading

  If you enter a store it's usually with a purpose and expectation to look and most likely buy something. Enter a restaurant and you are expected to buy something even if it's only as small as a drink. Going to be park is free, but the weather doesn't always make it comfortable. A library though, a library is many things and expects nothing but common courtesy.

  When I was young it was a calm quiet place to wait out of bad weather of all seasons or a landmark to wait for an after school ride. Internet, books, comfort, kindly adults. As an adult I spend less time there in person, but having access to a printer in a pinch is a boon and I still borrow books and audiobooks. I don't take advantage of all the other various things accessible to there (3d printers, reserving quiet rooms for study, passes to various events and locations and more), but I know that others do.

  A place of calm. A place of options and accessibility. A place with no expectations. What a glorious thing to have taken off ones shoulders for a spell?
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  Shaped my teenage and young adult years

  by rallee, about 2 years ago

  There wasn't much to do in Stittsville when I was a kid, but the library was a short bike-ride away and best of all: free. My parents never minded if I were to run out of the house yelling "I'm going to the library!" It was a frequent occurrence in the summer time, and I would borrow as many books as I could carry home to read all summer long.

  When I was a teen, I loved having access to the music library; I would listen to a set of CDs, make up dances, and lay in my bedroom singing... Continue reading

  There wasn't much to do in Stittsville when I was a kid, but the library was a short bike-ride away and best of all: free. My parents never minded if I were to run out of the house yelling "I'm going to the library!" It was a frequent occurrence in the summer time, and I would borrow as many books as I could carry home to read all summer long.

  When I was a teen, I loved having access to the music library; I would listen to a set of CDs, make up dances, and lay in my bedroom singing along until I went back and exchanged them for a new bunch. Once I got my license, I sought out the museum passes to explore Ottawa and soak up the sights.

  I have always loved to learn, and the library afforded me the chance to learn through books, videos, and museums. Even after I left the region for university, I would still rely on the library as a space to study when I returned home during exam prep week. Though I don't use the space as often as I used to, I feel a sense of both calm and excitement every time I walk into my local library and see the books, media, reading nooks, and computers, all ready to be used by the community.
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  Brain Fog

  by elspeth54, about 2 years ago

  A library five minutes away from home is essential to my health and well-being. Stopping by to browse, pick up a Hold, perhaps attend a program, or simply spend some time reading in a lovely environment, is always a welcome gift, available almost any day of the year. The library is a vital space for seniors, especially those living alone, for anyone facing a life-limiting illness, and for caregivers. Isolation can literally kill you, and there are many experiences in life that can lead to loneliness.

  A close friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and the... Continue reading

  A library five minutes away from home is essential to my health and well-being. Stopping by to browse, pick up a Hold, perhaps attend a program, or simply spend some time reading in a lovely environment, is always a welcome gift, available almost any day of the year. The library is a vital space for seniors, especially those living alone, for anyone facing a life-limiting illness, and for caregivers. Isolation can literally kill you, and there are many experiences in life that can lead to loneliness.

  A close friend of mine was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer, and the library became a place that helped her in her healing journey. Radiation to the brain was recommended, because the cancer had spread there, and with the "brain fog" that resulted, she lost her ability to read. I knew she loved books, an avid reader since her childhood, and she had enjoyed many hours reading to her children. I decided to bring her a few picture books from the library, mostly to help her re-live the literary pleasures of motherhood. Kids' books are so much richer, with their images, not all full of black and white words. My friend was delighted, and it helped her focus on something positive as she was slowly recovering from the radiation. The next thing I knew, she asked me to bring her a favourite story from her childhood, The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and she was reading it on her own.

  Sharing stories when a friend is facing the end of their days is a gift that creates beautiful memories. That is a whole other story...
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  Team work

  by mvg_0, about 2 years ago

  Good afternoon, we use the Ottawa Public Library Auditorium in downtown Ottawa as a gathering space for large meetings. We bring our group together to present information, listen to each other and meet those who may not be located downtown. It's a great space to hold award presentations, outside agencies and just to simply come together in one space. The Auditorium has been a valuable resource over the years - it's great.

  Good afternoon, we use the Ottawa Public Library Auditorium in downtown Ottawa as a gathering space for large meetings. We bring our group together to present information, listen to each other and meet those who may not be located downtown. It's a great space to hold award presentations, outside agencies and just to simply come together in one space. The Auditorium has been a valuable resource over the years - it's great.