I Can’t Believe it! The Isabel & Roy Jodrey Memorial Library is One Year Old!

   It was on June 27^th 2015 that Hantsport’s new library opened its doors to the public. A lot has happened since then; some of it is as exciting as new shoots sprouting from the ground, some of it a little bit uncomfortable as growing pains often are.
  As our yearly statistics indicate many new people have come in to enjoy the new facility and to participate in a wide variety of programs. With the bigger space, we have been able to host visits from some crowd catching celebrities like Princess Hantsport, Santa Claus, and Scott Brison. The change in location from the school has allowed us to have open hours on Wednesday mornings which has developed into a popular time for families and caregivers of preschoolers to visit. In January, the renovations to the lower level were completed and as new furniture trickled in we were able to move the very popular Cozy Corner Storytime downstairs giving the children room to move about, listen to stories and create works of art.
  “Library Lab” is another program that has grown within the year and benefitted from the new program rooms. This is a group of chatty 10-14 year olds who come together every other Tuesday to explore craft techniques, art materials and science activities. They have had so much fun that many of them congregate here on non-program days.  Another lively creative group is the Wednesday afternoon crafters who get together to chat as they stitch, hook, knit or weave. The program room on the lower level enabled this group to change their meeting time to a time when the library is open, every Wednesday from 1-3pm. Anyone is welcome, just bring along your project!
  Having a kitchen downstairs is an asset and has allowed us to introduce a new program called “Lunch & Learn”.  This started in March and happens once per month when a speaker presents as participants munch on their lunch and sip their coffee or tea.  Stay tuned for the Fall 2016 speaker line-up!

 Other programs held throughout the year were tech help tutorials and  kids tech programs, senior’s week  programs,  a family literacy day event, winter carnival story walk & scavenger hunt, a March Break camp, Canada Reads event, and a monthly book club. If any of these pique your interest or you have an idea for something new, let us know and we will try to accommodate.
  We are now getting ready for year two!  It is looking good so far. May I suggest you Renew Your Curiosity and check out our Summer 2016 programs found on the calendar of events. And for heaven’s sake, if you haven’t already been into the Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library, please come see us!

Liz Gibson
Branch Manager,
Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library, Hantsport

Congratulations to Hantsport

Congratulations go out to the community of Hantsport, Susan Oickle-Shano and all the Friends of the Hantsport Public Library.

Dedication, perseverance, hard work, or in others words, plain old community spirit were the catch phrases of the day  September 23, 2015. After being a tenant for more than 50 years in the Hantsport School,  the Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library officially opened its doors.  

The weather couldn’t have been better as approximately 130 guests gathered  in front of the former Hantsport Legion at 10 Main Street. A smudging ceremony, greetings and congratulations from  invited dignitaries preceded the official unveilings and ribbon cutting  by Roy Bishop and other family members of Isabel and Roy Jodrey.  

Guests were greeted by branch manager, Liz Gibson as they enjoyed refreshments, and  live music as they toured the newly renovated facility.

“We are so pleased to present this new facility to the community,” said Ann-Marie Mathieu, the new CEO of Annapolis Valley Regional Library. “Hantsport should be proud of this library that so many people worked to create.

Stop by and see the newest addition to the community.

If you would like to see more pictures go to this album on our Facebook page.

The Hantsport Dream: Saved by Community

After 54 years in a large classroom at the Hantsport School, the Hantsport library has moved to the larger and brighter Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library at 10 Main Street, and according to Branch Manger Elizabeth Gibson, “We are loving it!”. Open to the public for just over a week,  everyone who walks through the door exclaims over the spacious, bright atmosphere. The space “gives me a sense of peace” remarked one of the patrons. The south facing windows with a view of the playground and leafy green trees contribute to the peaceful feeling, making it a pleasant environment. 

There’s more space for everyone! Toddlers and older children have their own section to explore their favourite books and find new ones. The library is well stocked for summer readers! There is also a designated Teen Zone, which will be even more inviting once the new rug and furniture arrive. There are several comfy chairs for folks to sit and decompress with the daily newspaper, favourite magazine, or a book from the New Arrivals shelf. There are four public access computers ready for use, and plenty of outlets for charging your devices while you use the free WiFi. There’s room for friends and neighbors to gather and chat without disturbing other patrons or blocking the aisles. And the library is air-conditioned, so it is a great spot to cool off and relax this summer.

“I can’t imagine a single day without reading a book,” says Lorraine Davison, a Hantsport Library patron. “Though it is my first visit, I like this place. Definitely, it is a big step in the overall improvement of Hantsport community.”

The Citizens of Hantsport and Area saved their local branch library by raising over $200,000.00 to provide a new accessible location on Hantsport’s Main Street.  The Hantsport Public Library moved from the Hantsport School and opened in its new location on June 27, 2015.

 “We are very pleased that the library is now open in its new location but much work still needs to be done before our official opening on September 23, 2015,” said Lorraine McQueen, Annapolis Valley Regional Library’s Interim Chief Executive Officer. “Community support made this project a success and in recognition of the generous support of some members of the Jodrey family the library will be known as, The Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library”.

 “It is a dream come true for our community which has lost so much recently.  It is truly amazing what folks in small-town Nova Scotia can do when they work together,” said Susan Oickle-Shano, Chair of the Save Hantsport Public Library fundraising group.

There’s still work to be done, though! There are plans for an outdoor book drop, and there is a lift that will soon be operational. The lower floor will eventually become a program room. If you’d like to help with these further improvements, visit this site to find out how. 

We hope to see you soon. Check out our selection of books, DVDs, audiobooks, or bring your laptop or e-Reader. Stop by for our programs, bring the kids in to sign up for the Summer Reading Club. Or just stop in and say hello. We’d love to meet you and show off our new space!

Excitement builds for new Hantsport Library

Hantsport Library is moving!  And we are excited!

This week, our Hantsport branch library is moving from its location in the school to a newly renovated site at the former Legion Building at 10 Main St.   We’ll be closed June 23^rd-26^th  and will re-open on Saturday, the 27^th at the new location, with a new name – the Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library.

Some time ago, planned renovations in the school precipitated discussions on the future home of the public library.   In July of 2013, Hantsport Town Council voted to move forward with a plan to  re-locate the library from the school.  A Library Advisory Committee was formed to look at options and recommend a new location.  Once the former Legion site was chosen, the Save Hantsport Public Library (SHPL) was initiated to raise the required funds.   

With support of the Friends of the Hantsport Public Library, and commitment from the Town, and the SHPL Committee, the library’s future was determined, and the project launched.   The SHPL held countless innovative fund-raisers and were untiring in their dedication to the cause. 

In 2014, members of the Jodrey family came forward to honour the late Isabel and Roy Jodrey with a $100,000 donation toward the project!

The original target date for the public library to move from the school was August 1^st, but, due to the school’s renovation schedule, we’re re-locating sooner than anticipated.  Please bear with us as we work with some temporary shelving, furniture, etc. If you want to help make this new library even better, donations can be made HERE. 

The Isabel and Roy Jodrey Memorial Library will offer more convenient hours, a refreshed book stock, a lounge chair or two, and, later this summer, the public will enjoy an outdoor book return, available during non-open hours.   We’ll have computer tech help during the summer months, and some great children’s programming.  All services and programs are FREE.

We hope you’ll come and see us at the new location.   Remember:  Summer Reading Club starts this week, too, so sign up at the Hantsport Library on the 27^th or in the days thereafter.    

Hantsport is Library of the Month

What’s special about the Hantsport Library?  There are 78 public libraries in Nova Scotia but only four are combination school/public libraries.  Is this a good thing or a bad thing? On the plus side it means one facility serves a dual purpose which is important in these times of economic restraint.  Why should taxpayers have to fund a school library and a separate public library?  A library is a library, right?

Except that it’s not.  The school library’s purpose is to serve as a resource centre for their students while the public library’s purpose is to provide information and recreation to the general public.  So for example, the general public cannot use the Hantsport Library during the school day.  This means the Hantsport Library can be open to the public only after 2:30 p.m. on weekdays.  Special permission was granted to enable the library to be open on Saturday mornings when the school is closed, thanks to support from the Town who pay for janitorial service and, if necessary, snow removal on the weekends.

Who runs the Library anyway?  During the school day, the library is run by the School Board, their staff, their rules and policies.  When the library is open to the public, it is administered by the Annapolis Valley Regional Library Board which is a separate entity and is regulated by a different government department.  That is where things get tricky.  In spite of some challenges, the Hantsport Library rolls along serving both students and public.  The Library Board and the School Board share space, and work together as best they can as friendly housemates who understand the need to compromise and set boundaries to make this partnership work.

This month the Hantsport Library is being promoted as “Library of the Month” as part of the Annapolis Valley Regional Library’s campaign to promote its branches.  RBC is sponsoring an Open House on Wednesday, January 18 from 3:00-4:30 featuring music, refreshments, and the Friends of the Hantsport Public Library are offering a book, DVD, and CD swap as well.  Remarks from special guests take place at 3:30.  Lots of other activities are happening at the Hantsport Library including:

·         Cartooning Demo with Mark Oakley

·         Preschool Storytimes

·         Book Club for adults

·         Free Computer Classes

More information about programs and services available at the library can be found  on our website. 

If you haven’t been in the Hantsport Library since you were a kid, do yourself a favour and stop by and check it out.  You might be surprised how much it has changed!

---Frances Newman, Regional Librarian