Brampton Library Blog

Written by Brittney Smith

Category: Blog

Published: 03 August 2021

Starting Tuesday, August 3rd, Brampton Library will offer limited study space, access to Chromebooks, and Magazines and Newspapers in its four branches now open to the public.  Those branches are Chinguacousy in the Civic Centre, Cyril Clark, Four Corners (downtown), and Springdale.

These services are available:

• Browsing of materials, computer use, and holds pickup allowed
• Regular cleaning and disinfecting, but without closures every 90 minutes 
• Occupancy maximum of 25% in public areas 
• Printing and copying fees reinstated

The following services are not yet available:

• Room bookings
• Makerspaces / Audio Recording Studio
• In-branch programs
• Gore Meadows, Mount Pleasant Village, South West, and South Fletcher's continue to offer Curbside Pickup only.

Written by Erin Walker, Digital Literacies and Makerspace Librarian

Category: Blog

Published: 15 July 2021

Maybe it’s the extra sunshine, the longer days, or the more relaxed schedule, but there’s something about the summer season that inspires me to make and create more than any other time of year. Summer is a great time to learn a new skill, rediscover an old hobby, or simply stretch your creative muscles. At this month's Virtual Maker Meetup, we are talking all about summer creations and DIYs.

Here are a few projects we’ve been working on that you might want to add to your summer project list:

Summer Sketchbook

I made this mixed media journal by combining a variety of weights and types of paper I had on hand, which I cut to size and bound with a simple Japanese side sewn technique I learned from Creativebug. I’ve been experimenting with different art supplies and techniques in it, but you could also make a scrapbook or journal for recording your summer memories. There are many journaling techniques you could try depending on your artistic style and the materials you have on hand. If you’re not sure where to start, a search for “art journal’ in Creativebug yields an impressive variety of guided practice videos, daily challenges, and prompts to get your creativity flowing.

3D Prints for Thriving Plants

Librarian Justine 3D printed this self-watering planter in our Four Corners Branch MakerSpace for her shark fin plant. If you’re a plant parent who tends to over or under-water, this might be your saving grace for keeping your plants healthy and happy. Choose a fun colour combination for extra summer vibes.

As for me, this 3D-printed sprinkler attachment for my watering can was exactly what I needed for my garden. It was a quick print and you can find the STL file here, though I did need to modify it to fit my watering can. You could also try creating your own 3D design from scratch in TinkerCAD.

Furniture Flip

I inherited this coffee table over a decade ago but it never really fit with my home decor and it was in rough shape. Inspired by the furniture flips I watched all winter on TikTok, I decided it was time to give this piece a makeover. As soon as the weather allowed, I hauled it out to my backyard and gave it a good sanding and a fresh coat of Fusion mineral paint I picked up from the ReStyle Boutique in downtown Brampton. If you have trouble following the fast pace of social videos, don’t despair. There’s an excellent series on furniture refinishing in Creativebug (free for Brampton Library cardholders) that covers everything you need to know.

What are YOU working on this summer? 

At Brampton Library we love to help you explore creative pursuits and can’t wait to welcome you back to our MakerSpaces at Chinguacousy, Four Corners, and Springdale Branch Libraries. In the meantime, we’re continuing to offer 3D printing and vinyl cutting remotely. Submit your request through the MakerSpace On Demand form and we’ll be happy to assist you virtually with your project.

For kids and teens, Take and Make kits are available through our summer clubs for children (0-12) and teens, Brampton Brain Game and Teen Summer Reading Club. Check our calendar to find out which kits are available (while supplies last) and follow along with our YouTube videos. 

What projects would you like to work on this summer? Perhaps you’ve already finished a few. We’d love to see them! We'll be chatting about summer DIYs and live demoing some of the projects mentioned here at our next Virtual Maker Meetup on Tuesday, July 27 from 7:00 – 8:30 pm. Join us to show off your projects (in any stage of completion) and hang out virtually with Justine and I, and other makers over Zoom.

Click here to RSVP. Hope to see you there!

Written by Todd Kyle, Chief Executive Officer

Category: Blog

Published: 21 July 2021

As I write this, Ontario has just entered Step 3 of its Roadmap to Reopen, allowing public libraries to offer more services with more visitor capacity. At Brampton Library, four of our branches are now open for you to browse and borrow material. It has been wonderful to welcome you back into Chinguacousy, Cyril Clark, Four Corners, and Springdale, and to hear your grateful comments about wandering our shelves to select items that you want to borrow.

As a community that values learning and strives for academic and career success, I know that you are looking forward to once again spending longer time in our branches for quiet study and relaxation. That day is not far off! Beginning early next month, we hope to expand the services that we can offer in these four locations and I’m happy to let you know that we are working on reopening our other branches as well. We can’t give you a date yet, but we are aiming for the end of the summer. 

Want to be the first to find out? Subscribe to our email updates using the Subscribe button at the bottom of every page of this website; talk to staff in person at our open branches and through our website live chat; follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram; or give us a call at 905.793.4636.

The progress we have made towards reopening is due to one simple factor: the availability of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19. I urge every Brampton resident over the age of 12 to book theirs as soon as possible. To find out where you can get vaccinated, visit the Peel Public Health website or call the provincial booking line at 1-833-943-3900 (TTY 1-866-797-0007).

To reach the end of the tunnel, we plan to stay the course with our cautious approach to reopening, keeping community safety first and foremost and monitoring conditions. As we reopen, we will continue to maintain a safe environment for all of our users by limiting capacity and requiring all visitors to wear a mask and to physically distance themselves. Working together, our community and library branches can recover safely so that we can once again gather and connect. Let’s keep it up!

Written by Todd Kyle, Chief Executive Officer

Category: Blog

Published: 08 July 2021

Brampton Library is happy to announce that as of Monday, July 12,2021 four of our branches will be open for expanded services: Chinguacousy, Four Corners, Springdale, and for the first time in a long while, Cyril Clark.

At each of these branches, services will be expanded as follows:

• Browsing of materials, computer use, and holds pickup allowed

• Regular cleaning and disinfecting, but without closures every 90 minutes 

• Occupancy maximum of 25% in public areas 

• Printing and copying fees reinstated

The following services will not yet be available:

• Study and quiet space 

• Chromebook lending

• Room bookings

• Makerspaces / Audio Recording Studio

• In-branch programs

• Gore Meadows, Mount Pleasant Village, South West, and South Fletcher's continue to offer Curbside Pickup only.

We continue to take a cautious approach to reopening, keeping community safety first and foremost and monitoring conditions in working towards a full reopening of all branches and services, as the pandemic recedes. 

For now, we are thrilled to be able to welcome you back into these branches and to let you pick what you want to borrow! Staff will be available as usual for assistance, so please stop by to say hi. As capacity is still limited, we do ask that you keep your visit to a reasonable length. Together, we can keep our Library as a place where everyone belongs and where everyone is safe.