London Public Library

London Public Library
Type public library system of London, Ontario
Established 1896
Branches 15
Collection
Items collected business directories, phone books, maps, government publications, books, periodicals, genealogy, local history,
Website London Public Library Webpage and Catalogue

The London Public Library is the public library system of London, Ontario, Canada. All locations offer art exhibits, programs for adults, teens and children, including author readings, summer reading program, health-oriented activities and more.

Services

In addition to borrowing print books, books on CD, videos, DVDs and music CDs, library card holders are able to download free audiobooks and ebooks via the library's website.

History

London Mechanics’ Institute was one of a series of Mechanic's Institutes

The Mechanics Institute in London,Ontario circa. 1860 1877
The Mechanics Institute in London,Ontario circa. 1860-1877

that were set up around the world after becoming popular in Britain. It housed a subscription library that allowed members who paid a fee to borrow books. The Mechanic's Institutes libraries eventually became public libraries when the establishment of free libraries occurred.[1]

The London Public Library opened in November 1896. The present-day Central Library was built in a remodeled space that formerly housed a Bay outlet. The Central library opened in this location on August 25, 2002. This not only allowed for an economical expansion of the branch but also offered the library a more central location in the city's downtown core. Additional outside donations enabled the construction of the Wolf Performance Hall, a concert hall which hosts music and theatre performances. The Central Library is also home to the Reading Garden which is equipped with seating and multiple water features. Susanna Hubbard Krimmer is currently the 11th CEO of the London Public Library and only the second woman to hold that position.

Branches

The London Public Library now has 16 branches open to the public. The branches are:

Northridge branch closed in June 2010 after 38 years of service.

The Landon Branch Library is home to a collection of stained glass windows that incorporate poetry by local artists. These were created by artist Ted Gooden.

Four locations, Beacock, Sherwood, Jalna and Central, offer settlement support centres for newcomers to Canada.

Pornography

In 2011, two weeks after the Western Fair District denied The Everything to do with Sex Show a lease to their Progress Building,[2] three organisations, (Men Against Sexual Trafficking, the London Abused Women's Centre, and Stop Porn Culture), appeared before the Community and Neighbourhoods Committee of the London City Council to ask the London Public Library to stop pornography from being viewable on public computers and to ask the city to ban pornography-industry organisations from holding events in city-funded venues.[3] The committee did not allow these three organisations' presentation to be on the public agenda; only the committee members saw the presentation.[4] The presentation convinced the committee to support the two proposed courses of action.[5] Mental health professional Dan Lenart opposed the proposal to put content-control software on computers in public libraries, calling the software an "attack on the poor and impoverished".[6]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Harris, Michael. History Of Libraries In The Western World. 4th ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1995, p. 153.
  2. ↑ Angela Mullins (August 11, 2011). "Anti-porn fight goes to council". Metro International. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  3. ↑ Ian Gillespie (August 17, 2011). "Porn has no place in a public library". The London Free Press. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  4. ↑ Chip Martin (August 12, 2011). "Anti-porn letter censored at London City Hall". London Free Press. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  5. ↑ Adela Talbot (August 17, 2011). "Computer filters gain committee support". London Free Press. Retrieved August 31, 2012.
  6. ↑ Gillian Wheatley (October 28, 2011). "Anti-porn filter plan discussed". London Free Press. Retrieved August 31, 2012.

http://www.londonpubliclibrary.ca/node/229

Coordinates: 42°59′11.8″N 81°14′41.3″W / 42.986611°N 81.244806°W / 42.986611; -81.244806

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