Library sees 10% rise in usage in 2024 compared to 2023

CONNOR LUCZKA, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Stratford Public Library (SPL) saw steady growth and huge usage in 2024, according to CEO Krista Robinson, but there is more to do as 2025 moves along.

"Just when we thought we couldn’t get any busier – we did!" said Robinson in a media release. "Stratford Public Library offered more services and programs in 2024 than ever before, and our community responded with record-breaking engagement."

According to the recently released annual report, there were over 143,000 in-person library visits, with over 475,000 visits to the library website, in 2024. Nearly 500,000 items were borrowed and library membership reached its highest levels in decades.

Monthly card usage was up 10 per cent over 2023, circulation was up two per cent, visitors through the doors was up seven per cent, and program attendance was up nine per cent.

About 25,096 people attended 903 diverse programs SPL offered, from Garden Tai Chi and Glow-in-the-Dark Karaoke to Swiftie Parties and After-Hours Trivia Nights – including the 1,163 children who joined SPL’s TD Summer Reading Club.

The library collection continued to expand beyond books. With support from a New Horizons grant, the library launched brain health kits, exercise-at-home kits, and launchpads to help older adults keep active. Through various partnerships, a number of locally focused content was also made available to residents, such as “welcome to Stratford” kits for new residents and new passes to the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame in St. Marys and Stratford Warriors home games.

Three staff members received provincial recognition, including the Leadership in Adult Readers’ Advisory Award and two Technical Services Awards.

With all the positive growth last year, Robinson said that she is hopeful that more residents become active library users – and that the library’s well-documented space needs are met.

For a population of Stratford’s size, the library’s St. Andrew Street location is undersized by about 70 per cent according to a space-needs study conducted in 2023. It is 12,472 square feet and should be 20,000 square feet bigger if it is to adequately serve its population.

Normally, according to a 2024 delegation by representatives from Ontario Library Services, a new library would be a decade-long project; however, just recently a new opportunity presented itself at the Grand Trunk site, which is set for renewal in a keystone project the City of Stratford, University of Waterloo, and YMCA of Three Rivers officially undertook in 2023.

After a delegation to the city’s ad hoc committee, the library has informally been included in discussions of a community hub in the old shops downtown, though no agreement has officially been made.

“My biggest hope for this year is that we finally get a clear decision on the Grand Trunk site,” Robinson said. “… The Library Board – and I think many residents would agree – we really need clarity soon about whether the library will be included in this project. Our space challenges are pressing and they're not going away. If we won't be part of the Grand Trunk development, we need to pivot quickly and develop alternative plans to address our space needs. The community deserves a timeline either way so we can move forward with solving these longstanding issues.”   

With a $6.64 return on investment for every municipal dollar, and a total economic impact of $19.3 million, Robinson said that their research shows that each resident receives about $560 worth of value from their services annually, while it costs about $87.

All the more reason why further investment is the smart choice, Robinson argued.

“People want to see their tax dollars creating tangible benefits for the community, and investing in a library – a service that's freely accessible to absolutely everyone – is one of the best ways to do that,” Robinson said. “This isn't just about books; it's about investing in a space where our whole community can connect, learn, and grow together.”

To explore the full 2024 report, visit https://splibrary.ca/sites/default/files/pdf/spl2024annualreport_1.pdf.