Southwest Library Branch
Brantford is on course for a new library branch in the southwest area of the city.
Both the Brantford Public Library Board and Brantford municipal council have supported a new 13,500 square foot library branch in a facility that will also include a Grand Erie District School Board elementary school and a city-operated community centre.
Full details on the facility and adjacent sports fields and can be found on the City of Brantford website.
Brantford Public Library CEO and Chief Librarian Rae-Lynne Aramburo outlined reasons for a new library branch in the southwest area of the city in a November 2, 2021 presentation to Brantford municipal councillors.
The need for a new library branch in Brantford
A recent Library Planning Study revealed that, amongst 20 comparators, Brantford ranked last in terms of the number of library branches per population.
This study revealed that Brantford already has a current library space deficit of more than 23,000 square feet, based on library best practices. This shortage will become more drastic as Brantford's population continues to grow. In just 20-years, by 2041, Brantford's population is expected to be 144,000.
In addition to a space deficit, there is also a shortage of physical library materials available in the Brantford Public Library's collection. Currently, the Library offers 1.54 physical items per resident (beyond a large digital collection), which is well short of a recommended 2.3 items per person.
By building a 13,500 square foot library branch in a joint school and community centre, residents of Brantford will benefit from improved access to library services and have a deeper connection to the community.
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