2022 Community Report - Flipbook - Page 4
From Our CEO
If there is anyone who wonders about the modern relevance of
public libraries, they should consider what happened at Waterloo
Public Library (WPL) in 2022. On the day we opened our new
Eastside Branch, over 3000 people lined up to see their brand-new
library. Many remarked that they were thrilled they could walk or
bike to this location while others loved that they could pair a visit to
the library with their regular hockey or soccer practices. Customers
were excited about all the Eastside Branch offers. They used our
digital studio to create podcasts, record family histories and make
new music and they filled the programs in our Naturespace to
learn about ecosystems, gardening, astronomy, local birds and
plein-air painting.
In 2022, customers visited Waterloo Public Library to access immigration and settlement
support, vaccine clinics, literacy and numeracy help, technology assistance, information about
voting and information about applying for bursaries and scholarships for post-secondary
learning. Customers came to us to help their preschoolers get ready for school after COVID
had kept them home for several years and they came to us to help them navigate the digital
landscape of a rapidly changing online world.
Visits to WPL were driven by needs for information, desires to connect with others, hunts for
great leisure reads or goals of developing new skills. Every day, over 4,000 people visited a WPL
location or used our online resources for reasons like these. Each visit was part of a greater
story about the many ways modern libraries contribute to an improved quality of life for the
communities they serve.
I am endlessly proud of the staff and Board of Waterloo Public Library. No matter how the world
changes, they remain steadfast in their commitment to making sure we deliver high quality
services that serve everyone. As we look forward to a new strategic plan in 2023, I am excited
about the possibilities and the many, many ways we will continue to impact and enhance the
lives of everyone in Waterloo.
Kelly Kipfer
CEO, Waterloo Public Library
4 | Community Report 2022