Norfolk County Public Library has unveiled its new Simcoe Lions Norfolk County History Centre.
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“Today marks the opening and naming ceremony of a space that celebrates not just our shared history, but the invaluable partnership between your public library and the Simcoe Lions,” said Julie Kent, CEO of Norfolk County Public Library, said at a naming ceremony held Dec. 4.
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“This room naming donation and partnership has been instrumental in preserving our community’s rich heritage and fostering a love of learning and literacy development for the constituents of Norfolk County.”
Simcoe Lions have been an unwavering champion in supporting Norfolk Library initiatives, she said, recognizing the power of knowledge, acquisition, and the importance of accessible resources for all.
“Your commitment to our community has been truly remarkable and we are deeply grateful for your ongoing support.”
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Kent said the history center, located on the second floor of the Simcoe branch, will be “a sanctuary for history enthusiasts, a hub for research, and a place where the stories of our past can be cherished and shared for generations to come. I have no doubt that this history center will serve as a beacon of knowledge, inspiration, and community pride.
Guests included Norfolk Mayor Amy Martin and councilors, Library Board Chair Kim Earls and trustees, and Ron Keba, Simcoe Lions Club past-president.
“May this history center be a testament to the enduring the relationship between the Library and the Simcoe Lions,” said Kent.
Simcoe Lions’ sponsorship of the history center will span a period of five years.
“It gave us a great opportunity to rethink where that (local history) collection was located. So we pulled it out from behind closed doors and it’s in the main area of the library now on the second floor. It’s an open space, it’s accessible for everyone,” said Kent.
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“We have staff that are very knowledgeable and skilled in using the technologies in the center – and we are looking to expand it even more. The Simcoe Lions’ contribution will help us do that.”
Among the items in the history center are newspapers on microfiche, scrapbooks, cemetery records, death certificate cards, local history books, census records, Tweedsmuir histories, church and school records.
“We are a center for genealogy here,” said Kent, noting they have access to online software for people researching their family trees.
There is information on the two World Wars, and Canada’s contribution.
“We have a collection of some of the local history specific to this area. It is not comprehensive, it’s not exhaustive, but libraries are well known for partnering and sharing information.”
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