On October 5 and 7 City Council will meet to accept the staff recommendation report  to proceed with the new alternative location plan for the downtown Guelph Public Library. In recent days there has been some concern that some members of Council will try to re-open the debate about its affordability, aiming to reject the new proposal based on its cost.

Now more than ever your support for this project is needed. Please speak up and have your voice heard!

Write a letter to the Mayor and City Council indicating your support and send it to clerks@guelph.ca before 10am on Friday, October 2. If received before then your letter will be included in the Council’s package of correspondence for this meeting.

The meetings will be streamed live at guelph.ca/live and on Facebook. While the Committee of the Whole meeting starts at 2 p.m. on Monday, October 5 there are agenda items the Committee will work through before debating and deliberating on the Baker District report, so you may want to tune in a little later in the afternoon.

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There is, unfortunately, misinformation circulating.  Please do what you can to disseminate this correction.

The new main library is a key anchor of the planned Baker Street development.  That has not changed.  When the Baker Street redevelopment proceeds, the Library will proceed.  The Library was NEVER dependent upon Federal funding.  City staff recommended a funding plan based on development charges, proceeds of sale of the existing library and property taxes. This was approved by Council on September 16, 2019, https://guelph.ca/wp-content/uploads/council_agenda_091619-revised.pdf

Council authorized staff to apply for Federal funding but the funding strategy put forward by City staff did not factor in funds from other levels of government.  Any funding from the Federal government would have been a bonus!  Over $16 million of Development Charges is available and was factored into the strategy.

The funding plan is in place.  The project will proceed with no additional tax burden on citizens beyond what has been incorporated into the Baker Street Redevelopment Project from the beginning.

There will be information coming to Council in early October. We will need your help and support to continue to move this important community project forward.

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The steering committee of the Friends of the Guelph Public Library Giant Book Sale has taken the devastating decision that, to protect the health of volunteers and the sale’s many, many supporters, the 2020 sale must be cancelled.

This is particularly disappointing this year, as the committee had hoped that profits from the 2020 sale would put the gift-for-the-new-library investment over $1 million.

The Friends of the Library appreciate sincerely the community support for this event over the past 14 years, and the fact that that support mirrors community support for the Library as an institution and Guelph’s need for a new main library facility.

The Giant Book Sale WILL BE BACK NEXT YEAR.

If donors are able to retain potential book donations to 2021, the committee would be very grateful.

Those wishing to continue to support this worthy cause by donating some of the money they might have spent at the sale in 2020 can do so through The Friends website. Look for the “Donate Now” button on the home page.

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FRIENDS OF THE GUELPH PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 2020

 The constitution of the Friends of the Guelph Public Library indicates that an Annual General Meeting will be held in April of each year.  This meeting has always been open and public, and has taken place at the main downtown library.

It will come as no surprise to anyone that in light of the circumstances imposed by the Covid 19 pandemic, such a gathering is not possible in the immediate future.

The AGM will be rescheduled with plans to be announced as soon as the public situation for the immediate future becomes clearer.  We are hoping that a meeting can take place in the Fall of 2020.

Virginia Gillham, Chair
Friends of the Guelph Public Library
4 April 2020

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POSTPONED DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC

May 6 – POSTPONED
The Olive Experience: Intro to the Mediterranean Diet!
Rick Zuccato will conduct an informal education and tasting session, explaining the harvesting process, the intricacies of true Extra Virgin Olive Oils and real Balsamic Vinegars and their histories. Participants will get to sample and pair between a select set of Extra Virgin Olive Oils and Balsamic Vinegars that have specially selected for them to “Experience”! Guests will also taste a delicious drink made from one of the balsamics with sparkling water! These same olive oils and balsamics will be available in bottles and gift sets to purchase.

May 13 – POSTPONED
He’s the Top: Cole Porter
One of the greatest composer/lyricists of the 20th century, Cole Porter is revered for his witty lyrics and musical sophistication. Jordan Klapman, pianist/musicologist extraordinaire, covers Porter’s extraordinary life, including classic original recordings and video clips of Porter’s greatest Broadway and Hollywood songs that occupy a very prominent position in The Great American Songbook.

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Thank you to the nearly 120 people who answered our book sale survey! We hope to make the sale better every year as a result of your feedback. Congratulations to this year’s draw winner, Ed Butts. Thank you Market Fresh for supplying this wonderful gift basket prize again this year!

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Once again the folks at J.O.E. (Jobs. Opportunities. Enterprise.) will be providing weary shoppers some light, affordably-priced refreshments at a cafe inside the book sale site. For a peek at the menu click on the menu image below. While you are at the sale please stop by the cafe to support this worthwhile community endeavour, enjoy a beverage and some tasty treats, and rest your feet for a while before resuming your shopping.

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Hot off the press, read all about it! The latest info about this year’s annual booksale!****************************

Donations for the 2019 GIANT book sale are no longer being accepted. Thank you to all of you who made donations! If you need a place to take your donations please try the Elora Festival book sale, Goodwill, Bibles for Missions, or other charitable organizations who offer low cost books for sale.

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We still need lots of people to help set up the sale site in October, for the sale weekend itself (Oct. 25-27), and to help with the post sale cleanup.

Go to our Volunteer Page to find out how you can help!

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