Debbie Krause
Special to The Lake Report

The Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library is celebrating 225 years of community service wants you to help mark the occasion.

To honour this incredible milestone, we are collecting “225 reasons we love our library” from patrons of all ages.

Whether it’s a favourite program, a childhood memory, or a kind interaction with staff, we’re inviting you to share what makes the library special to you.

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps tell the story of a community connected through books, programs and people, painting a picture of how the library has touched lives over more than two centuries.

“Your story matters,” says library CEO Laura Tait. “We’re proud of our history, but it’s the people who give the library its heart.”

Submissions can be emailed to notllibrary@gmail.com or jotted down in person at the library.

It’s an ambitious undertaking but we are hoping to publish all 225 as part of a special section this fall in The Lake Report marking the library’s 225th birthday.

Founded in 1800, the NOTL Public Library was the first circulating library in Upper Canada. Today, it continues to serve as a vital space for learning, creativity and social connection.

Whether you’re a longtime user or new to the community, we invite you to help celebrate this historic anniversary by sharing what the library means to you.

Debbie Krause is the NOTL Public Library’s community engagement co-ordinator.