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Anything but the Ordinary: A 2025 Year in Review
If 2025 had a theme at the Bracebridge Library, it would be connection.
This was the year we didn’t just open the doors of our new library; we filled it. With voices, ideas, curiosity, creativity, generosity, and community spirit. The numbers tell the same story as the smiles: more people than ever showed up.
Library membership continued to grow, program attendance reached new highs, and materials circulation increased across all formats. From physical books to digital resources, from packed programs to quiet corners, our community didn’t just visit the library; they used it.
At the centre of it all? People.
The Heart of the Library: Our Staff
Libraries may be built with bricks, shelves, and technology, but they are powered by humans.
Our staff are the heart, soul, and spark of this place. They welcome, teach, troubleshoot, create, collaborate, and connect, often all at once. They support lifelong learners, first-time visitors, creators, families, seniors, and everyone in between.
2025 asked a lot of this team. New services. New programs. New systems. New expectations. They met every challenge with resilience, creativity, and heart.
Whether you see them at the circulation desk, leading programs, running the Makerspace, recording podcasts, behind the scenes solving problems, or bringing joy to your social media feeds, please know this: everything that makes this library special starts with them.
A Library Alive With Community
In 2025, the Bracebridge Library delivered nearly 1,000 public programs, and when custom programs, outreach visits, presentations, and partnerships are included, that number climbs well beyond 1,000. Programs filled our spaces with learners of all ages and abilities, and our community showed up in every way.
Creativity flourished through hands-on learning, workshops, and the launch of community podcasts recorded right here in the library. Stories were told, voices were amplified, and ideas found new platforms. We were honoured to welcome Nita Prose, New York Times bestselling author, whose visit brought readers together in the most joyful way, a reminder of the power of stories and shared experience. Our epic murder mystery once again filled the library with laughter, intrigue, and just the right amount of dramatic flair. At the same time, generosity shone brightly through initiatives like Santa for Seniors and Manna Food Bank collections, proving that libraries are also places where kindness gathers.
Celebrating Together
2025 was a year of shared celebration.
We proudly joined the community in celebrating Bracebridge’s 150th anniversary, honouring our shared history while looking toward the future. We watched residents of all ages come together to help name our beloved book trucks, reminding us that when people feel ownership of their library, something truly special happens.
We strengthened partnerships with local schools, community groups, service organizations, artists, and creators, because libraries don’t exist in isolation. We exist with our communities, growing and evolving alongside them.
A Community Effort
None of this growth happens alone.
We are deeply grateful to the Town of Bracebridge staff, whose collaboration and support help turn ideas into reality every day. From facilities to finance, communications, and recreation, these partnerships matter.
Thank you to the Mayor and Council for their continued support of public libraries and the vital role they play in building strong, connected communities.
Also, to our Library Board, thank you for your dedication, advocacy, thoughtful governance, and belief in both the vision and the people behind it. Your leadership helps guide this library forward with purpose and care.
Growing Together
As our community continues to grow, the library grows with it, adapting, learning, and expanding to meet evolving needs while staying rooted in what matters most: access, inclusion, creativity, and connection.
As we close out 2025, we do so with immense gratitude and pride.
To our staff: thank you for being the heart of this place. To our partners and supporters: thank you for believing in what libraries can be. To our community: thank you for showing up, in every sense of the word.
Here’s to another year of learning, laughter, generosity, and being Anything but the Ordinary.