Strategic Plan 2023 – 2027 Community Report
November 2025
Mount Pleasant Village
South Fletcher's
South West
Gore Meadows
Cyril Clark Springdale
Chiguacousy
Four Corners
Claireville
Todd and Nicole are pictured in the Local History section on the second floor at Four Corners.
Photo credit: Herman Custodio
Reflections from our leaders
As Chair of the Brampton Library Board, I’m proud to celebrate the remarkable progress our Library has made in recent years. Guided by our strategic plan, Brampton Library continues to thrive in the heart of our vibrant community, inspiring the pulse of a city full of energy, creativity, and opportunity.
Our vision, Inspiring Connections, is more than a statement. It’s a call to action. Every program, service, and space we offer is designed to spark curiosity, foster creativity, and strengthen community. Our mission to build an inclusive community by inspiring learning, literacy, and social cohesion comes to life through the dedication of our staff, volunteers, and partners and through the enthusiasm and engagement of the people we serve.
We have made meaningful progress by continuing to improve and expand our branch locations, as well as offering important and engaging programs like Artist in Residence, Newcomer Bus Tour, and extended After-Hours Study Hall. As we look ahead, we remain focused on our strategic priorities, which will guide us as we grow alongside Brampton, ensuring that every resident has access to the tools, services, and support they need to succeed.
On behalf of the Board, thank you for being part of this journey. We’re excited for what’s next and look forward to continuing to serve Brampton’s Library and community.
Nicole Russell Brampton Library Board Chair
Brampton Library is proud to present this showcase of our progress since January 2023, a time of immense opportunity and challenge for the Library and for Brampton. We draw our inspiration and our determination from you, the community we serve. We draw our resilience and our creativity from the hard work of our staff, Board members, partners, and volunteers. Together, we’ve accomplished a lot!
Standouts for me include the Artist in Residence and Writer in Residence programs, our expanding Library of Things, our array of online courses, our services to welcome newcomers, and our programs on innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
I’m also proud that as of the end of 2024, 37% of Brampton households have at least one active library card holder!
We know we have more to do. High on our list is the expansion of our branch network. We’ve recently opened our ninth branch at Claireville, expanded our Gore Meadows Branch, and will soon open our renovated South Fletcher’s Branch.
We are working on exciting projects to open expanded branches in the Howden Community Centre (Chinguacousy) and in the southwest corner of Brampton at the Embleton Community Centre (South West). Brampton is a city of strivers and innovators, and the Library plays a pivotal role in ensuring everyone can succeed.
Todd Kyle Chief Executive Officer
To help ensure everyone has access to the tools they need, we offer Chromebooks that can be borrowed inside the Library, making it easier for those who may not have access to their own devices.
Stephanie Jones Manager, Children and Youth Engagement
Borrow a Chromebook during your visit at any branch.
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Become known as the place for discovery
The Library has long since been a hub for the community — we want to be a destination. We will become a venue to showcase innovation, celebrate community voices, and provide a platform to those that need a stage. We have:
• spotlighted significant cultural and human rights days, engaging the community in learning and discovery.
• amplified community voices — particularly from equity-deserving groups through communications strategies.
• celebrated community impactmakers, such as Kate Van Buskirk, Stephanie Dixon, Dr. Rutvij Patel, and Paulina O’Kieffe-Anthony during International Women’s Day.
• supported Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) in leading successful campaigns and events that raise awareness on issues impacting both staff and the community.
• hosted author talks in partnership with the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) and welcomed artists and writers from equitydeserving communities in our artist and writer residencies.
BY THE NUMBERS
4,800,234 branch visits
Over 4,000,000 visits to our website
Over 1,000,000 WiFi uses in our branches
(Totals from January 2023 –July 2025)
When you think of a library, what image comes to mind?
Many people would say one word: books. At its core, though, a library is a community space where anyone can freely learn, grow, create, and explore. Books are the traditional tool used by libraries to achieve this aim, sure, and they are still powerful resources. But, as our world expands, so, too, does our toolkit.
In 2023, we launched the GoPro HERO 11: Creator Edition, designed to deliver professional-quality video. This in-demand collection gives customers an opportunity to explore state-of-the-art filmmaking technology for free.
We offer free activity passes to the Royal Ontario Museum, Ontario Parks, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives. This initiative offers families and individuals the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of Ontario and engage in cultural experiences that can expand their learning in new and exciting ways.
Brent Wilson Manager, Collections
Capture your creativity! Borrow a GoPro for free at any branch.
Discover coding with our Sphero indi STEM at Home Pack. Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Our staff curated a diverse collection of board games to cater to various age groups and gameplay styles. Launched with 10 games in January 2023, we added another 10 in the spring, incorporating feedback from both staff and customers to ensure games could be easily shared and enjoyed.
2024 marked our first foray into seed lending, offering Brampton residents a chance to learn how to garden from seed. Our first seed library offered seeds that can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Everyone was invited to borrow up to three seed packets on a firstcome, first-served basis.
Meagan Gilpin Librarian, Collections
Starting with flashcards for those studying the MCAT and LSAT exams, the collection soon expanded to include My Therapy Cards which are professionally developed to help those on their own journey of selfdiscovery, and Decodable Cards, which can help make the journey from early reader to avid reader a fun, family experience.
STEM at Home Packs are designed to help students from Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12 explore STEM through play-based learning. Featuring educational technology, such as robots introduced at Kids Discovery Club and other STEM programs at Brampton Library, these kits come complete with equipment, guides, and activities for an engaging take-home learning adventure. Customers were so excited to stargaze with Celestron’s Travel Scope 80 Portable Telescope with Smartphone adapter, that we quickly decided to add an additional 12 telescopes to the collection soon after the initial 21 were launched.
Growing bok choy with borrowed seeds from our Library of Things.
Photo credit: Angela Campbell
Our diverse collection of flashcards includes My Therapy Cards.
Photo credit: Alanna Fontaine
Storytime at Brampton Library got even more exciting in 2024, with special guests like Queen Elsa and Santa joining us for Storytime Adventures.
Goodbrand Technician, Children and Youth Services
At Brampton Library, we’re all about discovery. One of our guiding principles to engage children and youth is to create quality opportunities for kids to learn outside the classroom. We want the Library to be a place where curiosity thrives and lifelong learners are made, with programs and collections designed to spark joy and growth.
Kids ages 9 – 12 explore building, coding, and experimenting with movement and sensors using our new LEGO® Spike Prime kits.
Stephanie Jones Manager, Children and Youth Engagement
Jennifer
Build and program robots using these components in our LEGO® Robotics program. Photo credit: Jennifer Goodbrand and Puneet Sekhon
A special Storytime Adventure with Santa at South West!
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
BY THE NUMBERS
291,000 people attended 13,700 Library programs, of which 5,099 of these programs were early literacy-themed and drew 102,000 attendees.
(Totals from January 2023 –July 2025)
The Library is a space for teens to hang out, study, and create. During exams, we even bring in St. John’s Ambulance therapy dogs to help teens de-stress. They can also earn volunteer hours with us while building leadership and professional skills.
Rachel Hopwood Librarian, Children and Youth Services
It’s always a celebration when a customer reads 1000 books before kindergarten! Photo credit: Amrit K Gahunia
Grow capacity in response to community needs
We are committed to expanding and improving our services. This starts with a better understanding of the needs of our communities and supporting growth among our staff.
Serving Brampton means listening to our community and adapting to its evolving needs. We have:
• strengthened community engagement to better identify service gaps and barriers.
• delivered anti-bias and cultural sensitivity training to all staff.
• provided advanced cultural competency training to all people managers, enabling them to lead with empathy and awareness.
BY THE NUMBERS
6,250,394 physical items borrowed
1,988,684 digital downloads
(Totals from January 2023 –July 2025)
Library staff at Gore Meadows wear orange shirts to affirm our role as a community hub where history is acknowledged, truths are told, and reconciliation is pursued through education and empathy. Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Circulation Supervisor Teri Palmer welcomes everyone to South Fletcher's at Shoppers World mall.
Photo credit: June Dickenson
Renovation highlights:
• June 1997: South Fletcher’s opens in the Sportsplex
Our South Fletcher’s branch located in the Susan Fennell Sportsplex is currently under renovation. On reopening, customers can look forward to a more modern library, purpose-built to meet the needs of the community, featuring more electrical outlets, updated fixtures and furnishings, dedicated quiet study spaces, and new collaborative and creative spaces. During this renovation, we are offering a wide range of Library services in Shoppers World mall.
• September 2024: South Fletcher’s moves to Shoppers World during renovation
• Almost 24,000 visits in its first 2.5 months in the mall
• Featuring a dedicated children’s room, youth room, quiet study space, program room, computers, library materials, and comfortable seating
Our Chinguacousy branch went through a dramatic downsizing in its move from the Civic Centre to the Chinguacousy Park Ski Chalet, to make way for Toronto Metropolitan University's new Faculty of Medicine. Recently it was announced that the Howden Recreation Centre revitalization project will include a new 30,000 square foot Brampton Library branch, within walking distance of the former Brampton Civic Centre.
Katrina Doktor Branch Manager, South Fletcher’s Branch
Heather Stoll Branch Manager, Chinguacousy Branch Library
The light-filled children's area at Chinguacousy branch.
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
In 2025, we introduced more rigorous training for frontline staff to equip them with the skills they need to provide the public with superior customer service.
Jenny
Manager, Customer Experience
With a stunning new entrance, makerspace and additional programming area, our Gore Meadows branch renovation was completed in September 2024 and welcomed 1,000 well-wishers to its popular Tech Fair event last November. The makerspace features 3D printing, Cricut cutting machines, and sewing machines; the programming area offers more flexible space for customers to enjoy.
Director, Branch and Neighbourhood Services
Omstead
Susan Bartoletta
Staff enjoy welcoming customers to the new makerspace in the renovated Gore Meadows branch.
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Have a question? Ask us! Staff are always happy to help. Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Claireville Branch Library, which opened on March 11, 2025, is Brampton Library's ninth location. Situated on the entire second floor of a new building located at the corner of Queen Street East and The Gore Road, it serves Brampton's growing southeast neighbourhood. The 11,000-square-foot branch features lots of natural light, ample space to study and connect, a substantial program room, and a beautiful children's area with two new Touch2Play gaming consoles (built in Collingwood, Ontario). We look forward to welcoming visitors to this one-of-akind library space.
Manager, Claireville Branch Library
Angela Campbell
Take the elevator to the second floor at 8750 The Gore Road.
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Customers enjoy 360-degree views at Claireville. Photo credit: Natasha Martin
Claireville offers a variety of spacious options to study and enjoy our collections. Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Play Nintendo Switch with friends at any of our branches.
Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
We re-launched our public website in November 2024 with robust search capacity and more discoverability of our services, collections, and programs.
June Dickenson Manager, Marketing & Communications
Puneet Sekhon Librarian, Emerging Technologies
Hanging out at the Library has never been more fun! Our Nintendo Switch gaming stations offer a variety of games available for our members to play in the Library.
Have a Nintendo Switch, Playstation 5, or Xbox Series X system at home? You can borrow video games for seven days, try something new, and stay engaged without the financial strain of purchasing new games.
Troy Walker Librarian, Four Corners Branch
Place your hold or drop into your favourite branch to borrow a video game today.
Photo credit: Natasha Martin
Explore our updated website and discover exciting new features!
Co-presented with the Brampton Arts Organization, our first Brampton Artist in Residence, Simma Naseem, worked with youth to create a short stop motion film. Her final showcase was standing room only with enthusiastic youth sharing their experience with the audience.
Photo credit: June Dickenson
Build social cohesion by providing equitable and inclusive services
We will foster connectivity to our services by understanding and mitigating barriers faced by the community. We will champion equity of access — reducing the digital divide, offering educational tools for academic and career success, and designing our services to be as barrier-free as possible. We are integrating equity and inclusion into all areas of service by:
• expanding assistive tools and devices for individuals with disabilities.
• creating inclusive programming guidelines to welcome neurodivergent individuals.
• diversifying our collections with more voices from historically underrepresented communities.
• applying our Responsible Sourcing Procedure, opening the door for small and equity-deserving businesses to work with the Library.
From our longstanding partnership with the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) to our vast collection of large print books and Daisy Readers, those with visual disabilities have had options to read at Brampton Library for many years. In 2023, we added to these offerings by including children’s braille books to our collection.
Our recent launch of C-Pen ReaderPens, a portable, text-to-speech scanning aid, helps readers with a learning disability such as dyslexia, people with low vision, and language learners.
Puneet Sekhon Librarian, Emerging Technologies
First launched in 2023, our decodable books use a phonicsbased approach to help new or struggling readers develop their skills. Decodable books focus on specific phonetic sounds which give readers a chance to hone one skill at a time. Some of the titles in this collection are dyslexia-friendly due to their helpful fonts and appropriate colour contrast.
Meagan Gilpin Librarian, Collections
C-Pen ReaderPens scan and read text aloud.
Memory care kits exercise the brain and encourage social connection with puzzles, games, conversation cards, books, sensory activities, and more.
Brainfuse HelpNow offers online tutoring services that align with the Ontario curriculum. Users can get help with feedback on their writing and preparing for tests like EQAO and OSSLT. Tutors are conveniently available from 2 – 11 p.m. each day for students who may need extra help. Brainfuse JobNow offers a range of resources for job seekers including live coaching, resume support, and interview practice.
Empower your learning journey with Mango Languages, Road to IETLS, and LinkedIn Learning, which is now available in seven different languages. These dynamic resources are designed to support diverse language learning needs, providing customers with the tools they need to succeed in a globalized world. Whether it’s preparing for exams, expanding professional and creative skills, or mastering a new language, these resources help you build the skills and confidence you need to succeed.
Brent Wilson Manager, Collections
We celebrate diversity in our community and are proud to offer Indigenous programs including a workshop to learn traditional beadwork techniques from Katie Longboat, a bead artist from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory.
Stephanie Jones Manager, Children and Youth Engagement
Workshop participants learned about traditional beadwork by decorating tiny orange shirts for Truth and Reconciliation. Photo credit: Katie Longboat
Drive our leadership by reflecting the community’s diversity
This work is rooted in having the Brampton community see themselves in the Library. We will lead by example by reflecting the diverse individuals and values present in our community. We have:
• expanded qualifications for leadership roles, including accepting foreign credentials for professional positions.
• launched a Master of Library and Information Science bursary to help employees pursue qualifications for leadership positions at the Library.
An in-depth look at our IDEA strategy
We sat down to chat with Lilian Asiimwe, Brampton Library’s Senior Advisor, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility, to explore what IDEA means to us.
Lilian, tell us about your background and what drew you to Brampton Library.
My passion for IDEA has shaped my career for over a decade. With a background in human rights, policy development, and law, I’ve worked in various capacities, helping organizations to foster more equitable and inclusive environments.
Could you describe your role and how it fits within BL?
Libraries are truly some of the best places to work, and this role has been — and continues to be — a perfect fit for my skills and experience. What initially drew me in was the unique opportunity to work on staff-focused initiatives, including aligning internal policies, practices, and culture with IDEA, while also integrating IDEA into our community engagement efforts. It’s a rewarding balance of internal and external impact that makes this work so meaningful.
The work we do internally with staff directly shapes and strengthens the way we serve the public — it’s all interconnected.
Lilian
Asiimwe
In short, my role is to lead the Library’s efforts in embedding IDEA across the organization, including our programs and services, in order to serve the Brampton community in the most effective and inclusive way. To that end, I lead the library’s IDEA Strategy, which focuses on various aspects of our work including recruitment, community engagement, programs and services, customer service, and so much more. A big part of my role involves collaborating with internal teams and external partners to support initiatives that drive our Strategic Plan.
To learn more about Brampton Library's Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) Strategy, please visit bramlib.info/idea.
What were some highlights of your early days in the role?
IDEA was born at a Library staff event, with the suggestion of an employee-led diversity committee. The early days were all about listening, learning, and laying a strong foundation for IDEA at Brampton Library (BL). It is important to highlight that IDEA efforts did not start with me. There was significant work done to assess BL’s IDEA status in collaboration with the Canadian Center for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). One of the first things I did was engage with staff at all levels to understand what IDEA might look like within our organization. It was important to me that this wasn’t just a top-down initiative but something that truly reflected our people and our values. A great example of this was developing the visual branding of IDEA, including our logo, colors, and symbolism — something that staff had a direct hand in shaping.
Collaborating with the Human Resources (HR) team, I focused on revising our internal policies, procedures, and practices to ensure they were truly aligned with our developing IDEA principles. This meant assessing everything, starting with our recruitment policies and practices, making sure we were not just talking about inclusion but actively embedding it into our daily operations.
Another key priority was assessing our accessibility status across the board — looking at how we could remove barriers, enhance services, and make the Library more accessible for all community members, including those with disabilities and neurodivergent individuals.
Working with our Marketing and Communications team, I led the development of an IDEA Communications
Plan to guide how we engage in IDEA conversations, both internally and externally. Creating this plan helped ensure that our messaging was clear, intentional, and proactive in fostering awareness and dialogue.
One of the most exciting and rewarding aspects of those early days was laying the groundwork for employee-led IDEA initiatives — such as our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and IDEA Council. Alongside some managers and staff from the HR team, I spent a lot of time conducting research, developing foundational documents, including terms of reference and other resources so that these groups had everything they needed to thrive. Seeing staff take ownership of these initiatives has been incredible, really reinforcing the idea that IDEA is not just a strategy, it’s part of our culture.
And, of course, a huge focus was training. We launched organization-wide training on implicit bias, systemic discrimination, and cultural competency to ensure that everyone, regardless of their role, had the knowledge and tools to contribute to a more inclusive and equitable workplace.
Looking back, those early days were fast-paced, but they were foundational in shaping the IDEA work that we continue to build on today. It was all about setting the stage for lasting impact — making sure IDEA wasn’t just a one-time initiative, but something deeply embedded in how we engage with and serve our community.
If we want to provide inclusive, accessible, and equitable services to our community, we first need to ensure that our staff feel equipped, supported, and empowered to deliver on those values.
How has Brampton Library’s strategic plan reflected your work and what have been your most significant accomplishments?
Brampton Library’s strategic plan is closely aligned with my role as IDEA Senior Advisor, as both are dedicated to ensuring that our services, programs, and policies are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to the diverse community we serve. The Library has made a strong commitment to IDEA, and my work is integral to embedding these principles throughout the organization.
Thank you, Lilian! Please leave us with a few final thoughts.
At the heart of my work is the belief that Brampton Library should be a place where everyone feels a sense of belonging; a space that reflects the richness of our community and provides opportunities for learning, growth, and connection. The Library's 2023 – 2027 strategic plan has provided a clear foundation for this work, and I am proud of how IDEA has been woven into our approach at every level. It has been a rewarding experience for me to watch us grow and improve. Recently, I had the absolute pleasure of presenting in tandem with all three of our ERG chairs at the 2025 Ontario Library Association Super Conference on how to build grassroot advocacy through ERGs and IDEA Councils. Being entrusted with such a platform is a testament to how much progress we have made.
As we continue to move forward, my focus is on deepening our impact, strengthening our commitment to equity, and ensuring that Brampton Library continues to be a leading voice in inclusion, accessibility, and community engagement.
Lilian prepares for Brampton Library’s Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2025 session about IDEA. Photo credit: June Dickenson
Lilian is joined at the session by Employee Resource Group (ERG) chairs Michele Collins, Meagan Gilpin, and Shweta Gandhi.
We’re proud to partner with the FOLD Kids Book Fest, hosting a variety of author events in our Gore Meadows Branch. Also in partnership with the FOLD, we’ve launched an Author Talk Series that invites authors from various genres to share their stories and experiences with the community.
Monika Trzeciakowski Librarian, Adult & Senior Engagement
Catherine Hernandez reads from her novel, Behind You.
Photo credit: Alanna Fontaine
Emerge as the community’s top choice for partnerships
We will be widely known as approachable and easy to work with. Community members and groups will seek us out and recommend collaborations with us to their peers because of the experience.
Strong partnerships are essential for community impact. We are becoming more strategic in ensuring our collaborations reach and support equity-deserving communities. We are:
• developing a Partnership Guideline and Strategy to attract grassroots organizations aligned with our IDEA objectives.
• creating a framework to ensure collaborations deliver long-term, meaningful impact for both the Library and our partners.
• strengthening our role as a community hub while ensuring partnerships reflect and support Brampton’s needs and diversity, through these efforts.
Together with the Brampton Arts Organization (BAO), we launched our successful Artist in Residence program featuring Sima Naseem, mixed media and film artist, in 2023, ceramicist Jasmine Canaviri in 2024, and Janice Reid in 2025. Building on these residencies, we expanded to create a Writer in Residence program in partnership with BAO and the FOLD Foundation, featuring Kevin heronJones. These opportunities connect artistic and literary experts with community members in our branches. We also partner with the Queen Square Health Team to offer Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) sessions for those dealing with mental health challenges.
We offer services like the YMCA Free Tax Clinic to help low-income individuals, racialized groups, equity-deserving communities, and newcomers with their tax filings. These in-person sessions provide personalized guidance to help make sure tax returns are accurate and refunds are maximized.
Brittney Smith Manager, Adult and Senior Engagement
2023 Artist-in-Residence, Sima Naseem
2024 Artist-in-Residence, Jasmine Canaviri
2024 Writer-in-Residence, Kevin heronJones
2025 Artist-in-Residence, Janice Reid
Another exciting collaboration is with Spitty, a local artist who is passionate about the music industry. Spitty’s Open Mic events and Navigating the Music Industry workshops have been a hit with aspiring artists in the community.
Brittney Smith Manager, Adult and Senior Engagement
Photo credit: Spitty
We’re thrilled to be working with the Brampton Steelheads to bring engaging programs with athletes to the Library and connect the community with our local teams. For those looking to take their coding skills to the next level, we team up with Canada Learning Code to offer advanced coding workshops for kids ages 9 to 12. These workshops are led by incredible youth mentors who make learning how to code (and debug!) both fun and rewarding. Through our partnership with the Ripple Foundation, we offer writing workshops to help budding authors build confidence and sharpen their skills.
Stephanie Jones Manager, Children and Youth Engagement
We’re also collaborating with Sheridan College to provide a wide variety of workshops tailored to teens’ individual journeys. These sessions cover practical topics like understanding the difference between college and university, or how to search for scholarships.
Monika Trzeciakowski, Librarian, Adult & Senior Engagement
Author Sue Lynn Tan began her international tour to launch Immortal at Chinguacousy, in conversation with the FOLD's Board of Directors Lead, Lavanya Lakshmi.
Photo credit: Alanna Fontaine
Word Search
Find the following words in the puzzle. Words are hidden , , and
AUTHORTALKS
BIRDKITS
BOARDGAMES
BOOKCLUBS
BOOKS
CHROMEBOOKS COMPUTERS KANOPY
MAGAZINES
MAKERSPACE
ONLINELEARNING
TELESCOPES
We are excited to be partnering with Brampton On Stage, the Brampton Steelheads, and the Brampton Honey Badgers to offer discounts on tickets for Brampton Library cardholders.
June Dickenson Manager, Marketing and Communications
We’re working closely with schools across Brampton to ensure every child has access to a library card and knows about the amazing programs and resources available here.
Jenny Omstead, Manager, Customer Experience
We regularly receive requests from community organizations that want to promote or provide services in our library space, and we’re excited to create a permanent community desk to make it easier for these valuable partners to connect with the public.
Katrina Doktor, Manager, South Fletcher's Branch Library
Author Tanya Talaga joined FOLD Executive Director Jael Richardson at Springdale to talk about her seminal and deeply personal book The Knowing. Photo credit: Eva Stepanian
Word Search
