GuelphToday received the following letter from Sam Boer regarding the Guelph Public Library:
While I was finishing high school, I was a page in the children’s department of Guelph's library, which involved glamorous tasks ranging from shelving endless piles of books to helping frantic families find the bathroom to cleaning gunk off Thomas and Friends DVDs.
I loved it. I adored seeing parents sitting with their kids, getting lost together in the magic of a Robert Munsch or Eric Carle book, and I was giddy about leaving each shift with an armful of CDs, novels, and comics, but the greatest joy came from knowing that I was working in an extraordinary space.
I’d frequented the children’s department at the downtown branch since I was a child, but I didn’t realize until I was 18 that it was completely unique. In this crusty, dilapidated room—made beautiful by its dedicated staff, in spite of its decades of wear and tear - everyone was welcome.
There was this charming boy, maybe 11 or 12, who would come barreling up the stairs after school. He knew every staff member by name, loved making jokes, and often made friends with whoever happened to be around that day.
I don’t know how things were at home or at school – I gleamed from a few comments that they were not ideal - but I knew that the library was his favourite place in the world. I could tell from his smile.
In this space, I also saw first generation Canadian families bonding, grateful to have access to books in their native languages. I witnessed one mother, obviously at the end of her rope, holding her head in her hands while her little girl flipped through a chapter book - this was a place where she could drag herself and her daughter out of the December snow, break down, and figure out the rest of her evening, week, or month without judgement or cost.
In our programming room, I laughed with a crowd of families as a local magician pulled an endless line of scarves out of his hat - in this room, everyone felt joy and connection, and a respite from the challenges outside.
Our public libraries are our most important community resource. They are spaces in which any community member is welcomed, without cost, and is given dignity, support, and opportunity. Our most vulnerable populations – those who are unhoused, struggling with their mental health, or facing other social challenges - are counting on this space. The next generation of our city is counting on this space.
I hope we won't let them down.
Sam Boer
