Waterloo Public Library

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Waterloo Public Library
Facade of main branch at Albert Street.
Facade of main branch at Albert Street.
CountryCanada
Established1888
LocationWaterloo, Ontario
Branches3
Websitewww.wpl.ca
Map
Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap

The Waterloo Public Library is the public library for Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

Founded in 1888, the library had three branches as of February 2021 and was planning to open a fourth branch later that year.

Services[]

The three branches offer print and digital resources, programs for all ages. The John M. Harper Branch has bookable study rooms and non-commercial groups. This branch and the Main Library both have rooms for rent for commercial groups.[1] The Main Branch has a VHS tape converter.[2]

History[]

The Waterloo Mechanics' Institute purchased their first books in 1876 and stored them on a table in Town Hall. This was the forerunner of the Waterloo Public Library. They had a $2.00 annual subscription fee to use these materials. The funds were used to purchase more books and eventually shelves.

In 1888, the Mechanics' Institute transferred their assets to the brand new Waterloo Free Library. By 1902, the Waterloo Free Library contained 7,013 works. In 1902, $10,000 were granted by Andrew Carnegie to build the Carnegie Library building (located at 40 Albert St, across from the current Main Branch).[3]

First librarian[]

Emma Belle Roos served as Waterloo's librarian from 1905 to 1949. She was born November 15, 1880 to Henry and Mary Ann (nee Springer) Roos and was the grand-daughter of former Waterloo mayor Moses Springer.[4] Roos began her career as librarian in 1905 when the city's Carnegie library opened.[5] She had previously worked as part-time librarian of the free library that had been housed at city hall, a position she began at the age of 21.[5] By 1948 the library holdings at grown to 17,000 books and Roos, who spent many years working alone, had a full-time assistant.[6] She retired in August 1, 1949 and was honoured during a dinner held at the Walper Hotel and attended by Waterloo mayor Vernon Bauman.[7] Roos died on December 9, 1970 at 90 years of age and was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery in Kitchener.[8]

Branches[]

It has three branches [9] with a fourth under construction:[10]

Branch Location Coordinates Year Opened Notes
Main Branch 35 Albert Street 43°27′58″N 80°31′28″W / 43.466115°N 80.524383°W / 43.466115; -80.524383 1966 oldest branch
Albert McCormick Branch 500 Parkside Drive 43°29′20″N 80°32′40″W / 43.488943°N 80.544564°W / 43.488943; -80.544564 1973 Located at Albert McCormick Community Centre
John M. Harper Branch 500 Fischer-Hallman Road North 43°28′28″N 80°34′16″W / 43.474329°N 80.571201°W / 43.474329; -80.571201 2011 Newest branch and located near Stork Family YMCA
East Side Branch RIM Park Manulife Sportsplex and Healthy Living Centre planned July 2021 under construction

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Room Rentals". Waterloo Public Library. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  2. ^ "Book the VHS Converter". Waterloo Public Library. 2017-03-16. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  3. ^ "History of WPL". Waterloo Public Library. Retrieved 2017-10-04.
  4. ^ "Ex-librarian dies at 90". Waterloo Chronicle. 17 December 1970. p. 23. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b "Emma Belle Roos" (PDF). Waterloo Public Library. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Waterloo's reading public has 17,000 books at its disposal". Waterloo Chronicle. 19 November 1948. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  7. ^ "Honor Waterloo librarian at dinner". Waterloo Chornicle. 21 October 1949. p. 1. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  8. ^ "Emma Belle Roos (1880-1970)". www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  9. ^ "Locations & hours". Waterloo Public Library. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
  10. ^ "Design revealed for Waterloo's $10M east side library branch". CTV. Retrieved 18 December 2019.

External links[]


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