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April 2026 | Vol. 1, Issue 4
| BWG Library Chapters | | Welcome to the latest chapter of our story! Each month, we open our doors—and our pages—to share the vibrant life of the Bradford West Gwillimbury Public Library.
In this edition, you will hear directly from the people who make our space thrive. We invite you to explore what each area of the library has on the horizon as we celebrate our collective accomplishments and look forward to being your neighbour for many years to come. | |
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Library Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Friday | 9:30 am - 8 pm Wednesday, Thursday | 9:30 am - 9 pm Saturday | 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday | 1 - 5 pm | |
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March marked a major milestone with the launch of our later hours pilot. It was great to see so many residents at our Up Late at the Library open house on March 25 to celebrate our new 9 pm closures on Wednesdays and Thursdays. From the Passport to the Night tours to the ribbon cutting with Mayor Leduc and Council, the evening confirmed that these extended hours are a welcome addition for local families, students, and commuters.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to our #ITSTARTS campaign last month. Seeing the completed puzzle display in the lobby was a fantastic way to recognize our commitment to a welcoming BWG Library.
We also want to thank you to the BWG Facilities team who helped us with some much-needed upgrades, including new carpets in the kids' area, assisting with the installation of large projects, working with the electrician to fix light fixtures, and sprucing up the downstairs washrooms.
The Cultural Services team has unveiled two new initiatives with support from Alectra and the Friends of the Library. BWG Creates and BWG Celebrates are designed to bring diversity and culture to the forefront of the library scene. Join an art workshop hosted by local community groups or attend an event to celebrate BWG's budding culture.
On April 15, we join libraries across the country to celebrate National Canadian Film Day. Stop by for a free 7 pm screening of the comedy Les Furies. It is a high-energy story about a local women’s hockey team turned roller derby squad—a fun look at teamwork and local grit that feels right at home here.
Our team is growing and evolving!
- A special congratulations to Slavka, who has accepted a new Customer Service position. While we will miss her on the Page team, we are excited to see her take this next step within our organization.
Now that our doors are open until 9 pm every Wednesday and Thursday, we hope to see you making the most of the extra time and the new spring energy in the building.
Warmly, Nina Cunniff CEO, BWG Library |
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Get Involved in the Culture |
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2SLGBTQI+ Advisory Committee
The BWG Public Library is seeking volunteers for an Advisory Committee to suggest new programs and initiatives to support 2SLGBTQI+ community members. |
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Asian Heritage Month
May is Asian Heritage Month in Canada—a time to reflect on and recognise the many contributions that people of Asian origin have made and continue to make to our country. The BWG Public Library is currently seeking expressions of interest for program or display ideas to celebrate Asian Heritage Month in 2026. |
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| I want in!
| For more information, contact David: dalexander@bradford.library.on.ca. |
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Visitor Guide
| Frequent flyers share their library stories. This month, you'll hear from Ashley, an avid reader and library user. |
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If your library card has been sitting quietly in your wallet, you might be missing out on one of the best gifts our community has to offer.
If you know me at all, you know I’m an avid library user. I love my library. It’s one of the most incredible (and underrated) community resources we have. Free access to books, audiobooks, eBooks, programs, events, community spaces. The value is unmatched.
In 2025, I read 200 books. Of those, 130 came straight from the library. When I added up what those books would have cost retail, the total savings genuinely blew my socks off. I saved just under $4,000!
So far this year, I’ve read 47 books and 41 of them were borrowed |
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from the library. My total savings so far? $1,032. I have made it my personal mission to beat last year’s savings.
In a time when everything feels expensive, the library remains gloriously, reliably free. Stories, information, entertainment, lifelong learning. All without touching your wallet. Support your local library. Use it. Love it. Your bank account will absolutely thank you for it.
- Ashley (@what_ashleyreads) |
| Get a Library Card!
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Culturally Yours,
| From the sidelines to the spotlight, Gail shares the cultural highlights that move our community. |
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April is full of creative ways to connect, reflect, and make art together in Cultural Services. Our second BWG Creates workshop takes place on April 11 in partnership with our local Ukrainian community. Participants will have the chance to learn the beautiful art of decorating Ukrainian Easter eggs and explore the meaning behind this lovely tradition.
On April 15, we’ll be celebrating World Art Day with this year’s theme, “A Garden of Expression: Cultivating Community Through Art.” Join us that evening as we head outdoors to sketch and paint the scenes we see around the library, turning our shared space into a collective work
of art. |
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To round out the month, we’ll mark Earth Day with a reflective and nature-inspired program led by resident artist Jill Price. Together, we’ll slow down, reconnect with the forest, and write letters to the trees as a heartfelt way to say thank you for all they give us and the important role they play in our lives.
April is all about creativity, community, and care; come be part of it. |
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Program Prose
| Highlights and fun insights brought to you by the Programs Team. |
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Spring has finally sprung, and we are kicking things off with a packed calendar! You can save the bees, catch a flick, or launch a catapult—there is something happening this month for everyone.
Bees in Your Garden | April 14: Ready to make your garden a pollinator paradise? Join a Master Gardener for a lively discussion on how to attract bees and keep your backyard buzzing this season,
National Canadian Film Day | April 15: We are joining thousands of venues across the country for a massive celebration of Canadian cinema! Grab your tickets for the hilarious comedy Les Furies. It is a wild story about a group of women who form an underground roller derby league after being |
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booted from their local rink. Don’t miss out on this uniquely Canadian underdog story—space is limited, so register early!
Full STEAM Ahead (Ages 8–12): Our new STEAM program is in full swing! Every month, we tackle science, technology, engineering, art, and math with hands-on projects. This April, we are getting tactical—we are building catapults to see potential and kinetic energy in action.
April is all about creativity and community, and we cannot wait to see you there! |
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Melissa's Must Haves
| Melissa is our Acquisitions and Collections Specialist and she's always on the hunt for "things" to add to our collection. |
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Time to shake off the winter blues—spring has officially sprung! That means it’s time to dust off those tools in the garage or shed and get them ready for action. Not sure where to start? Your library has you covered with access to Small Engine Repair Reference Centre, a handy database to help with everything from routine tune-ups to major fixes. Whether you’re working on ATVs, lawn mowers, chainsaws, generators, motorcycles, or boat engines, you’ll find step-by-step support to get things running smoothly again.
If fixing engines isn’t your idea of a good time—but you’re eager to get your hands in the dirt—the BWGPL Seed Library is open for the 2026 season! Print an order form from our website or drop in to fill one out, then choose up to 8 seed packets to kickstart your garden. You can |
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also explore our seed-saving resources online and give back by donating seeds later in the season—be part of our grow, share, and repeat cycle!
Feeling a little more adventurous? Grab one of our birdwatching kits and head outside! Each kit includes binoculars (for adults and kids), Ontario bird guides, and a shared logbook so you can record your sightings and see what others have spotted. You’ll even find birdseed included—perfect for attracting some feathered friends along the way.
Looking to explore even further? Borrow a pass to Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre and wander through beautiful wetlands and trails. Keep an eye out for incredible native wildlife like trumpeter swans, turtles, amphibians, bald eagles, hawks, and owls.
However you like to spend your time outdoors, your BWGPL library card is your ticket to a season full of discovery. Let’s get outside and explore! |
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Local Histo-Bri
| Local History Assistant Brianna shares stories from the past. |
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| *Newspapers.com is a free library resource only available to access from library computers. |
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This April, Local History would like to share some spring poems from BWG’s local historical Newspapers, found on Newspapers.com*:
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Alan's Blueprint
| Emerging Technologies Specialist Alan will guide you through Creative Lab DIY. |
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Remember when you used to have to get your photos developed or when videos were recorded on actual tape? No? Too young? Okay, so we used to have to do that.
Maybe you've got old 8mm, Super 8, or VHS tapes collecting dust at home. Those family milestones and holiday memories don't have to stay trapped on outdated plastic. You can transfer your plastic to digital files and then share them with the world—it’s much easier than trying to fit a DeLorean with a flux capacitor to go back and see them.
Save your history before the tapes degrade or the VCR finally gives up the ghost. If you want to see how the gear works before you start your own DIY project, come hang out in the Lab for one of my demos this |
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month:
See the Digitization Station in action and ask questions before you book your own time. Let’s get those old films into the digital age. Some tracking adjustments required. | |
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Reader's Advisory, EH?
| We dare you to find someone who loves books more than our Information Services Specialists. We'll wait... And while we're waiting, Elisa will spill their secrets on literary trends and deep-dive research tips. |
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Behind the Displays: A Little Work, A Lot of Heart
Have you ever paused to browse one of our book displays and discovered something you didn’t even know you were looking for? Those displays don’t just come together by chance. They are carefully created by our Information Services Specialists!
Each display begins with research. We explore upcoming themes, cultural observances, and seasonal interests to make sure what you see is timely, relevant, and inclusive.
Next comes the hunt. We search the catalogue, check availability, and select materials that offer a range of perspectives and reading levels.
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Then, it’s time to bring it all to life. We carefully arrange each display to be eye-catching and easy to browse, paying attention to colour, spacing, and flow.
This April, keep an eye out for displays celebrating National Poetry Month, Earth Day, and Sikh Heritage Month. Whether you’re looking to be inspired, informed, or simply find your next great read, we hope our displays spark your curiosity. |
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Tea with Emma
| Customer Service Representative Emma spills the tea with anecdotes and straight answers to frequently asked questions. |
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Wow, March was a total whirlwind! It felt like the month flew by in a flurry of activity—and yes, that pun is intended, considering how much snow we saw. We hosted hundreds of kids every day for our March Break programs, in the Atrium we watched Canadian athletes participate in the Paralympic Games, and we even extended our hours to stay open later on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
The absolute highlight of my month, however, was watching so many of you engage with our community puzzle. It felt like everyone wanted to be involved, and at the end of the day, isn't that what libraries are all about? If we had been able to keep up with the 3D printer demand, that puzzle would have easily taken up three tables!
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We created this project to inspire people to look within and choose a word that describes what a welcoming and inclusive community starts with. Many of our younger patrons simply wrote their own names—an honest and beautiful perspective from the mouths of babes. We also saw many other meaningful words added to the display, including kindness, respect, love, and family.
I am once again blown away by the incredible community spirit here in BWG and the collective desire to belong. It makes me so proud to be part of a library that provides a space where everyone feels free to be themselves. |
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Do you have a story to tell?
Submit your stories, thoughts, ideas, and suggestions. Have your voice heard. |
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