Barrie Public Library

💡 Curious & creative?
🤝 Love connecting with others?
🎮 Enjoy working with kids & teens?

Then this could be the perfect part-time job for you!
Join us as a Community Engagement Assistant — apply by Oct 12, 2025!

📧 Send your resume to jobs@barrielibrary.ca

Vendors from last year's Local Author Book Market holding up their books and smiling at the camera.

📣 Local authors — applications are open for our 2025 Local Author Book Market (Dec 6)!

We’re looking for diverse voices, genres & new participants. Share your story and connect with local readers!

Apply here 👉 https://bit.ly/3IYEwDf

#BarrieLibrary #LocalAuthors #BookMarket

🧶 Try something new! Join our Knitting Circle at the Downtown Branch, Oct 9 from 1:30–2:30 p.m. All ages welcome — bring your project, share tips, and enjoy some cozy social time. 🧵✨
For more info visit https://bit.ly/3WrJICy

📚 The Simcoe Reads grand finale is Oct 23, 6:30pm at the Gibson Centre!

☑️ BPL’s pick: Our Crumbling Foundation by Gregor Craigie, championed by Brett Glover—an eye-opening look at Canada’s housing crisis with real solutions.

On October 3rd, he asked what day it was.
We said: the perfect day to get a library card! 😏👉💳📚💅💖✨

#OPLM #OntarioPublicLibraryMonth #LibraryLove #SupportYourLocalLibrary #MeanGirls #Oct3 #LibraryCard

🚨 From Tuesday, Oct. 7 to Friday, Oct. 10, Painswick will only be accessible from Big Bay Point Rd. due to a road closure on Dean Ave between Russell Hill Dr and Painswick’s driveway. A water shutoff will result in a library closure on Thursday or Friday; we will share the date as soon as we hear.

Cartoon depicting various people using the services of the Library. One individual expresses skepticism about the necessity of libraries, while scenes around the library show people applying for jobs using library computers, a librarian helping an older adult, a family obtaining books, teenagers engaged in research, and children registering for a summer reading program.

October is Ontario Public Library Month! 📚 Libraries are more than books—they’re hubs for learning, connection, and inspiration. From new hobbies to family history to a quiet place to reflect, your library is here for you. What’s your favourite thing about your library? #OPLM #PublicLibraries

Image of Barrie's Spirit Catcher statue, a large sculpture with outstretched arms and metallic feathers.

Two BPL staff stand outdoors holding a banner that reads "Every Child Matters" next to Their Barrie Public Library mobile library cart labeled "Discover Opportunities."

Group of people standing in front of City Hall during the Flag Raising.

September 30 is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time to honour survivors and their families and remember the legacy of residential schools. Join us at the Spirit Catcher 9am–1pm to read, learn, and reflect together. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4mykMUI

📢 New to BPL: Borrow a MacLaren Art Centre Family Membership! Enjoy exhibitions, Family Sundays (4 kids + 2 adults), tours & talks, plus 10% off classes + shop. Loan: 1 week. Details 👉 https://bit.ly/4ne70aZ

A child with a polka-dotted backpack holding hands with an adult, viewed from behind, in a school setting.

If your child needs a refresh in a subject before they get too far into coursework, we have just the thing for you. And guess what? It's FREE! Grab your BPL card for free access to Brainfuse. It offers live online tutoring, homework help, practice tests, and more. Get started: https://bit.ly/4nnkBNm

⚠️Service Alert⚠️ CloudLibrary maintenance will be taking place tomorrow beginning at 1am, which may last 6+ hours. During this maintenance window, patrons will not be able to authenticate or borrow new materials. Patrons already logged in will still be able to access materials previously downloaded.

Children seated outdoors

Kids operating robot toys

Kids participating in arts and crafts

Prizes

🎉 That’s a wrap on Summer Reading Club! 🚀 Congrats to our prize winners & thank you to everyone who joined the fun. 💙 Whether you hit your goals, tried something new, or made a friend—we’re so glad you spent your summer with us. 📚☀️

Join in on all the fun and celebrate Culture Days & Doors Open Barrie with us, at the BPL! Explore something new, meet a local artist, and be sure to leave your mark with these amazingly curated events and programs made just for you!
For more details, please visit https://bit.ly/469Jo1a

ROM passes on display

✨New at BPL!✨ Borrow a ROM pass with your library card for 1 week & enjoy general admission for you + 3 guests! 🏛️🎉

Grab & Go at any branch or place a hold downtown. Start planning your ROM adventure today—visit https://bit.ly/3VUuDJA

Culture days brochure

Culture days brochure: Barrielibrary.ca/events

Culture days starts tomorrow! 🎉 Drop by any library location and grab a Culture Days brochure to see what’s going on around Barrie!

Shelves of books

Walking tour

Board room

Staff field trip at Whitehots! Stay tuned for more behind-the-scenes, coming soon!

Nearly 300 entries! 🎨🖍️Congrats to our 3 Grand Prize winners who each took home a $100 Tims Card for their colourful contributions to the Barrie Dragon Boat Festival Colouring Contest. Thanks to all who joined & to @timhortonsofficial.bsky.social☕🍩

Can't wait! See you on Saturday 🥳

I’m a vendor at the Barrie Public Library’s Comic Fest! The event is at the downtown branch on September 13, from 10am - 3pm

I’ll be at #comicfest this Saturday at the @barrielibrary.bsky.social !! Hope to see you there 🥰

#kellyandersonart #illustration #comicart

Only 3 more days until #ComicFest!! Join us at our downtown location from 10am - 3pm and discover local vendors, cosplayers, artists and more💥

We love a good poutine up in the great white north! 😆

Group photo on the dock holding paddles

Group engaging in warm up stretches

Group paddling on the water

We had a fabulous Learn to Paddle session last night! Participants enjoyed a gorgeous night on Kempenfelt Bay getting an intro to dragon boating. Thanks to @timhortonsofficial.bsky.social for making these sessions possible. Learn more: bit.ly/40m2yxn

Stay safe, friends!

📢 On Friday, June 6, @cityofbarrie.bsky.social is closing Owen St. between McDonald and Collier, including closing the intersection at Worsley and Owen. Downtown will remain open but there will be no drive-up access to the book drop and Express Pickup window.

Learn more: tinyurl.com/OwenClosure

Last week, a library superfan brought her niece in to get her first library card. She threw a party for her and even decorated a cake to look like one of our My Own Library Cards 😍 We're declaring her Auntie of the Year! There's nothing better than passing on a love of reading and libraries ❤️

Library staff holding a cheque of the BIG Spring Book Sale proceeds.

You showed up, Barrie! ❤️ Our third annual BIG Spring Book Sale raised $4,200 to support the library's Creative Spaces.

Thank you to everyone who donated materials for the sale, volunteered their time, or shopped the event.

Read more: tinyurl.com/52e6nsvm

You ask and you shall receive! Check out our Daisy video on our Instagram: www.instagram.com/p/DJ4pUWsPZee/

Daisy Duck laid her eggs on Barrie Public Library's roof again For more than a decade, Daisy has laid her eggs on Barrie's public library roof knowing a kind staff member will carry them to the waterfront when it's time.

Daisy Duck laid her eggs on Barrie Public Library's roof again www.ctvnews.ca/barrie/video...

For more than a decade, Daisy has laid her eggs on Barrie's public library roof knowing a kind staff member will carry them to the waterfront when it's time.

Day 1 of BPL’s BIG Spring Book Sale was a HUGE success! 🎉 Thank you Barrie. ❤️

The sale continues this weekend at the Downtown Library (60 Worsley St.). Drop by on tomorrow (10 am - 4 pm) and Sunday (10 am - 12 pm). ‼️ Stock is running low, so stay tuned for any updates about sale times.

Image of a person sitting behind a sewing machine. Repair Cafe logo overlays the image.

Join us at the Painswick Library’s Repair Café on Saturday, June 14, from 10:00 am–1:00 pm and get help fixing your household items for free. ♻️🔧

Register for a time slot (10–11:30 am OR 11:30 am–1 pm) on our Events Calendar: tinyurl.com/23ehtznr. Drop-ins will be first-come, first-served.