Stratford Public Library provides outstanding service to Stratford and Perth County. Library cards are free to any individual or business paying taxes to the City of Stratford.
Everyone is welcome Under the Umbrella of the Stratford Public Library. The Library is a hub of activity 59 hours a week, including Sunday afternoons, during the winter months. The three floor historic Carnegie library was built in 1903, and all levels are accessible with automatic doors and an elevator.
Programs are aimed at all ages, stages and interests. A tour of the library’s website reveals the complete and current picture of library programs and services. The SPL website receives about 10,000 hits per month, and an average of about 700-800 people a day come through the library doors.
Your Library Online and In Person
- National and local newspapers, magazines, music, movies and books are the mainstay of any library, and Stratford Public Library is no different. Browse our collection in person or online, place holds, renew items, make lists of interesting items
- A large selection of online databases provides access to thousands of magazines and newspapers - very popular especially with younger library users.
- Download books, movies and eBooks free with your library card
- The Chalmers Public Theatre Resource Collection houses a collection of theatre and Stratford Shakespeare Theatre materials. Recently, the Richard Monette Collection was acquired, and will be added to the Chalmers Room.
- Stratford Chef School materials are housed at the Stratford library as a community resource.
Your Social Library
- Find the library on Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, delicious, Flickr and foursquare.
- Connect quickly to the library with our QR codes.
- Free public internet for adults and children is available, with 9 public access computers for adults and 6 for children.
- SPL is a wireless internet “hotspot” for those with laptops.
- Find community services with Information Perth
Your Information and Entertainment Centre
Find a variety of programs and classes at the library and in partnership with other organizations.
- COMPUTER TRAINING classes for basic skills, social media, specific databases and computer safety are offered regularly.
- WATERLOO LECTURE SERIES with uWaterloo Stratford Campus brings university lecturers on a variety of topics in the fall and winter.
- THURSDAY THEATRE is an afternoon community movie program provided jointly with Community Living Stratford & Area and the Stratford Optimists.
- The GOOD BOOK GROUP meets regularly at the Library, and the Library supports many other book discussion groups throughout the city.
- The THURSDAY NOON HOUR CLUB offers a variety of speakers and topics over 20 weeks in the spring and again in the fall. All are welcome – from school classes and home schoolers to downtown employees and retired people.
- POETRY STRATFORD brings poets of renown and would-be local poets together and hosts an annual Open Mike evening, thanks to our Poet-In-Residence.
- Early literacy is the focus of story times for babies, toddlers and preschoolers, with a popular family bedtime program, WHALE OF A TALE, one evening a week.
- The award winning PUBLIC LIBRARY ON WHEELS (PLOW) program delivers stories, activities and library lending to families in areas of the community for which transportation to the Library may be a problem.
Your Volunteer Opportunity
- Our active VOLUNTEERS perform a variety of tasks in the Library, and also deliver materials year-round to those who have difficulty getting to the Library.
- The FRIENDS OF SPL hold a very successful annual book sale.
- The STRATFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION raises funds to assist in the delivery of programs.
Your Community Library
Stratford Public Library is a proud member agency of:
- Perth County Information Network
- Stratford & District Leisure Activity Council
- Volunteers in Perth
- The Social Research and Planning Council
- The Pandemic Emergency Planning committee of the Perth District Health Unit
- Information Perth
- Stratford & District Chamber of Commerce
- C.A.R.E. Stratford (environmental group)
- QUILL (Quality in Lifelong Learning) Learning Network
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