In December 2021, the Brampton Library board approved the permanent removal of fines on overdue materials.
Our children’s materials have been fines-free since September 2018. At the 2020 Ontario Library Association Super Conference, we proudly received the Minister’s Award for Innovation for this initiative. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, all materials became fines-free to help remove barriers to access.
We appreciate returns of borrowed items in a timely manner and no fees will be applied to items that are returned in good condition.
"Fines are increasingly at odds with the Library's mission, impacting those least able to pay, most vulnerable, and often racialized," said Brampton Library CEO Todd Kyle in this article.
We are delighted to confirm that all of our materials are now permanently fines-free!
Happy New Year! The holiday season always seems to be a whirlwind, and there’s always stuff leftover: gift wrapping, boxes, bottles, decorations, and maybe a well-meaning gift that will sit in storage until you feel less guilty about throwing it out. I try to recycle and reuse as much as possible throughout the year, but I am overwhelmed by the volume of waste I encounter during the holidays. This year, I wanted to try to get a little more creative with the leftovers I had collected.
Craft Supplies Organizer
Cardboard boxes hold a strange magic in my head. When I was younger and I’d walk past a really big cardboard box, my mind would whirl with the possibilities of what I could turn that box into a castle with a drawbridge, a rocketship, even a dollhouse once.
With the pile of cardboard boxes sitting in my garage from the holidays waiting to be recycled, I started thinking about all of those possibilities again, though less fantastical ones (unfortunately). I was looking for a way to organize my art supplies. Currently, I keep everything in one overflowing bin — it’s a disaster. I wanted to try to make an organizer myself. I used two large boxes for the main parts, cut up a third one to make supports and dividers, and used two Kleenex boxes to make a little drawer on the side. I covered them all in decorative paper to make it look nicer. It fits all of my supplies perfectly, and looks crafty to match!
If you have ideas about how to repurpose your holiday waste, or if you need some inspiration, join us on Tuesday, January 18, at 7 p.m. Until then, take a peek at these eco-friendly tutorials, movies, and books!
This year, learn how to mend and darn your own clothes with the help of expert sewist Cal Patch. Follow along as she demonstrates her favourite techniques for mending and darning knits and woven fabrics using crochet on both flat and curved surfaces. Get creative with your mending!
Give a new life to the old dress shirt in the back of your closet! Taught by Faith Hale, you’ll learn how to upcycle a dress shirt into an artist’s smock to be admired.
Use leftover yarn from your stash to make a faux yarn ball wreath and a felt Christmas tree for next year!
Films to watch on Kanopy
Landfill Harmonic — “Following the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, a Paraguayan musical group that plays instruments made entirely out of garbage. When their story goes viral, the orchestra is catapulted into the global spotlight. Under the guidance of idealistic music director Favio Chavez, the orchestra must navigate a strange new world of arenas and sold-out concerts.
However, when a natural disaster strikes their country, Favio must find a way to keep the orchestra intact and provide a source of hope for their town. The film is a testament to the transformative power of music and the resilience of the human spirit.”
The Cardboard Bernini — “ ‘The Cardboard Bernini’ examines the work and life of artist James Grashow as he spends 4 years building a giant cardboard fountain inspired by the work of the famous baroque sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini. James Grashow is an artist who has made — among many other things — giant 15-foot tall fighting men, an anthropomorphized city, and an ocean using paper mache, fabric, chicken wire and cardboard. More recently, he has begun making sculptures entirely out of corrugated cardboard and twist ties.”
Brampton Library strives to make its spaces accessible, and with the recent Rick Hansen Foundation certification of our Springdale Branch Library, we have the opportunity to do more.
Brampton Library’s mission is to create opportunities for everyone. The accessibility of our facilities is an important ingredient in that effort. We are pleased that the Rick Hansen Foundation has recognized Springdale Branch Library in its certification. We pledge to learn from their feedback and grow our ability to serve all residents.
The Rick Hansen Foundation was established in 1998 by accessibility activist Rick Hansen following his Man in Motion wheelchair marathon which spanned 40,000 km and thirty-four countries. The foundation funds research and care for people affected by spinal cord injuries. They also campaign for inclusivity, both by creating awareness about accessibility and by providing solutions to physical barriers for people with disabilities.
We share the Rick Hansen Foundation’s vision for an accessible world, and are committed to working along with our City of Brampton partners. Late last week, it was announced that ten public facilities have received certification. For further information, click here to see the city’s press release.
Click here to learn more about accessibility at Brampton Library.
If you are looking for fun and free things to do during this winter break, try these!
1. Discover downtown Brampton with our festive Story Walk! We’ve teamed up with the Downtown BIA to share deck the Halls: A Canadian Christmas Carol by Helaine Becker and Werner Zimmerman. Click here for more information.
2. Do your own STEM experiments with materials found around your house! Get started anytime with our Virtual STEM Challenge.
3. Feeling creative? Interested in learning a new skill? Use your library card to log in to Creativebug for art and craft videos.
4. Borrow a Launchpad to build your digital skills and have fun while learning! Pre-loaded with educational apps and games, Launchpad tablets require no internet connection and allow users to play, read, and explore.
5. Download or pick up an Early Literacy Calendar filled with daily early learning activities for kids from birth to age five that you can do from home! Enjoy a Virtual Storytime from the comfort of your home!
Brampton Library takes great responsibility in being an effective steward of the public’s resources. Each year, all eResource subscriptions are assessed for performance, demand and return on investment. We look at key indicators, including year-over-year growth, estimated cost per use, and renewal cost, to determine subscription recommendations for the upcoming calendar year. We also examine content quality and availability, accessibility, user experience, customer feedback, and other factors to inform these decisions.
After careful review and consideration, the following online resource subscriptions will no longer be offered, effective December 30, 2021.
Cantook Station
Though the last day for Cantook Station access will be December 30, 2021, we are pleased to provide free access to French-language e-books through cloudLibrary. For free digital issues of French-language magazines and newspapers, we encourage you to discover PressReader. See Getting Started with cloudLibrary and Getting Started with PressReader to learn more.
LearningExpress Library Canada
The last day of access to LearningExpress Library Canada will be December 30, 2021. If you found LearningExpress Library helpful, we highly recommend you try Brainfuse HelpNow.
Brainfuse HelpNow is a service that supports students at every stage of learning and includes study materials, practice tests, and live one-on-one support with an online tutor. You can also get help with Microsoft Office, access career resources, and find support for the EQAO, OSSLT, Canadian Citizenship, and GED. See Getting Started with Brainfuse HelpNow to learn more.
For profession-specific test preparation, you can check out the following resources:
Though the last day of access to STEM Village will be December 30, 2021, we are pleased to provide free access to resources for K-8 learning.
Brainfuse HelpNow gives students access to learning resources STEM subject areas in SkillSurfer, aligned with the Ontario curriculum. Live, one-on-one help is available online every day from 2:00 pm-11:00 pm to support students with homework and STEM learning. See Getting Started with Brainfuse HelpNow to learn more.
Gamify your child’s learning experience with Launchpads! Launchpads are educational tablets, pre-loaded with apps, videos, and games designed for hours of interactive learning. Some themes of interest include Critical Thinking & Strategy, Math, Science, and STEAM. Go to our catalog to place a hold.
Check out our Virtual STEM Challenges for fun, educational activities you can try with materials found around your home.
Though last day of access to World Book Student will be December 30, 2021, we recommend the following free options for K-8 research support:
For help with research, Brainfuse HelpNow gives students access to live, one-on-one help every day from 2:00 pm-11:00 pm. If you have a written assignment, you can submit it to the Writing Lab to get feedback. See Getting Started with Brainfuse HelpNow to learn more.
Happy New Year! The holiday season always seems to be a whirlwind, and there’s always stuff leftover: gift wrapping, boxes, bottles, decorations, and maybe a well-meaning gift that will sit in storage until you feel less guilty about throwing it out. I try to recycle and reuse as much as possible throughout the year, but I am overwhelmed by the volume of waste I encounter during the holidays. This year, I wanted to try to get a little more creative with the leftovers I had collected. 
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