The Mission of the library is to promote a lifelong love of reading beyond literacy. The library allows each person to pursue their own cultural and learning goals, and to grow in understanding of their place in the community and the world. Our library does this by being a welcoming, accessible place where all members of the community can enjoy guided access to literature, knowledge and entertainment.
Our Vision:
Our library will be a welcoming oasis at the center of our community, in which people embrace the importance and power of literature, entertainment and knowledge.
About
Our Mission Statement and Vision
There has been a library in Dundalk since 1891. At that time it was called the Dundalk Mechanic’s Institute. The first recorded minutes in existence for this institution are dated June, 1895. In 1911, the library was reorganized by a volunteer group of local women and boasted some 2500 books in its collection. The location of the Mechanic’s Institute is unclear.
By 1929, the library appears in a listing of local businesses in Dundalk. It was no longer called the Mechanic’s Institute, but simply “the library”. Throughout the next four decades, the Dundalk Library was housed in various rental locations around the village. They included the Dundalk Herald office, Mimm’s Gents and Tailoring, and the Town Hall.
In 1970, Dundalk got its first permanent library building, thanks to a generous bequest by Ruth Pearl Hargrave (1899-1968). Ruth was born in Wareham, attended public school in Dundalk and Flesherton, and after graduating from Normal School, had a career in teaching which spanned over 40 years. Teaching took her from Dundalk to Alliston, Jerseyville, Hamilton, and Chapleau. Ruth established scholarships for students at Grey Highlands in Flesherton, but her lasting legacy was the bequest which built a permanent library situated at 90 Main St. N. The Ruth P. Hargrave Memorial Library has had, and continues to have an influence on the residents of Dundalk and Southgate Township…..a place to meet neighbours, discuss issues of the day, and to learn about the world beyond through books and new technologies.
In 2000 the Dundalk Public Library Board was dissolved by a Minister’s Order (Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Minister’s Restructuring Filing Notice, Subsection 25.2(6)(b) of the Municipal Act) On January 1, 2000, a public library board was established for the new Township bearing the name The Corporation of the Township of Southgate Public Library Board. Although the legal name had changed with the advent of restructuring, the library continued to be known as the Ruth Hargrave Memorial Library.
With advances in technology, a growing population, and new laws regarding access to public buildings, it became clear in the mid-2000’s that the existing library building was no longer adequate to service the needs of the Southgate community. A new state -of -the art building located at 80 Proton St. N. was officially opened in July of 2010. Construction funding was provided by all three levels of government. The building was designed and built, in large part by local tradespeople, using a railway station theme, to reflect the past history of the town in which it stands.
This new building is known as the Southgate Township Community Services Building, and although it houses a variety of community offices, it is safe to say that its anchor is the Ruth Hargrave Memorial Library. As a community moves toward the future it must not forget its past. Ruth Hargrave’s generosity, vision, and influence lives on in the “library in Dundalk”.
Library Board Members:
Chair:
Joan John
Vice Chair:
Martin Shipston
Acting Members:
Muriel Scott
Leigh Gorman
Deedra Watson
Janice Kaikkonen
Pam Burgess
All Board Meetings are open to the public. They are held on the third Thursday of the month from 6:00-8:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. There will be no meeting held in August or December.
Click to view Agendas and Library Board Minutes
Interested in becoming a library board member? Email library@southgate.ca for more information.
Contact Us
Township of Southgate
185667 Grey County Road 9
Dundalk, Ontario N0C 1B0
Phone: 519-923-2110
Email: info@southgate.ca
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