The Sault Ste. Marie Public Library is celebrating a year of significant achievements and increased community engagement in 2024, the CEO said.
The library hosted 415 programs in 2024, attracting a total attendance of 14,806 participants. These included 392 in-library programs with 13,784 attendees and 23 outreach programs reaching 1,022 individuals.
"There are many key factors leading to record engagement with the library in 2024," said Matthew MacDonald, CEO of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library, after the library released its annual report.
"One has a lot to do with the partnerships we have developed with other community agencies which have led to new and innovative programming," MacDonald said.
The easing of post-pandemic anxieties has encouraged more community involvement.
Partnerships with the library encouraged book tasting and a special story time involving local theatre company West End Theatre Project.
This programming shows the library's commitment to offering a variety of perspectives.
The library prioritized outreach in 2024. Volunteers with the Visiting Library Service made 79 deliveries to patrons with mobility challenges.
Library staff also brought the joy of reading to Station Mall.
“We brought crafts and stories to engage with hundreds of children at the mall,” the report said.
Volunteers are a cornerstone of the library’s success. The Friends of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library contributed over 6,500 volunteer hours, raising over $40,000 through book sales.
“Every year the Friends of the Library exceed their mandate to support and promote the library,” the report said.
The Friends of the Library also received a $4,000 grant from the Retired Teachers of Ontario, which will support expanded community outreach for seniors.
The library is committed to preserving local history through its archives.
In 2024, 15 new oral histories were added to the collection, including 14 as part of the Shingwauk & Beyond: Survivor and Intergenerational Memory Collection, which features Indigenous people who experienced firsthand Canada’s Residential School system and the children of Residential School survivors.
"This helps ensure that future generations can access and learn from the past, even if it is about difficult topics like Shingwauk," MacDonald said.
The library also digitized 549 negatives from the Sault Star collection and 83 VHS tapes.
In September 2024, the library conducted its annual membership drive at various locations, including Garden River Back to School Blitz, Sault College, Algoma University and the Indigenous Friendship Centre.
The drive led to 412 new members.
Looking ahead, the library launched its five-year strategic plan in 2024, designed to guide the library’s development and ensure it continues to meet the evolving needs of the community.
“This strategic direction will help us build a more vibrant, inclusive, and accessible future for the library and the people we serve,” the report said.