In 2025, the Library completed a Community Needs Assessment. This will guide our work in updating our agility plan and ensuring our facilities and programs continue to meet the needs of our community.
This library is the most amazing, vibrant, community hub with a first-class collection and cutting-edge ideas. You guys are the little engine that could and then some! I’ve travelled far and wide and I’ve never found such a grand library as this.
-comment from 2025 Community Survey
The Library undertook a major physical update in 2025, updating the second floor with new carpet, paint and a fresh layout, as well as updating our downstairs Common Room (a meeting room for 10-20 people).
In the children’s and teen department, attendance at Babytime and Storytime continued to grow. Heidi visited a number of area schools and established a new partnership with Connections – Good Food for Healthy Baby (Connectwell). The Library was also a partner in the new Rideau Eco-Literacy Center for Children, which delivers eco-education programs at local libraries across the Rideau River eco-system.
153 kids received help with reading as part of the Library’s literacy programs in 2025
With the increase of the Library Specialist – Adult & Senior Services role to full-time, the library has built stronger connections with our partners, and been able to meet the demands of programming, collections and outreach for our community. Highlights include hosting the Library After Dark concert with School House, programs for the Lanark Lit Festival in partnership with Almonte Readers & Writers, and the launch of the Express collection (high demand books with a 7-day loan period and no holds) and Sponsor a Book program.
81,775 visits
2,685 meeting room bookings
7,920 computer sessions
149,150 books, eBooks, and more borrowed
590 programs offered
5,524 program attendance
The library is an essential community facility because:
- the library is a vibrant community hub that draws people together and inspires community connections.
- it is a place for all ages: seniors whose only personal contact in a day might be the library staff; parents and children visiting, reading, and picking out books together; teens hanging out after school.
- if you’re on a limited income, there is a significant value in access to technology and books. The library bridges the digital divide by providing Internet access, lending laptops, hotspots, and more, and helps people learn how to use technology through tutoring programs.
In 2025, our community members visited the library over 81,000 times to use computers, meeting rooms, and borrow over 149,000 books, eBooks, and more.
Where the money comes from:
Funding Municipalities:
Perth: $
TVT: $
DNE: $
Provincial Operating Grant: $42,817
Other grants: $
Donations: $
General Revenue: $
Where the money goes:
Staff, Benefits, Training: $
Collections: $
Literacy Programs & Activities: $
Building & Insurance: $
Fire Hall Lease & Operations: $
Technology: $
Supplies: $
Thank you!
… to our funding municipalities: Perth, Drummond/North Elmsley, Tay Valley
… to our board members and more than 40 volunteers
… to our community partners and local businesses
… to our fundraising partners: Friends of the Library, Film Club Fridays, and all of our supportive community members
and most of all to you, our library users!
Library Board (2023-2026)
Tara Langford, TVT – Board Chair
Gary Waterfield, ToP – Councillor
Patricia Mertins, ToP
Deborah Hamilton-Foley, ToP
Paul Coutts, DNE – Councillor/Property Committee Chair
Lillian Logan, DNE
Ted Parkinson, DNE – Policy Committee Chair
Korrine Jordan, TVT – Councillor
Dawn Palmer, TVT
Lynn Marsh – Secretary/Treasurer
Library Staff
CEO: Erika Heesen
Coordinator – Customer Service: Julie Hansen
Children’s Library Specialist: Heidi Taber
Adult & Senior Library Specialist: Emily Fournier
Library Assistants: Laurie Murray, Jennifer Bain, Kendra Miller
Pages: Ashwen Foster, Jordan Lodoen Unseth
Caretaker: Paul Kirkham