Kawartha Lakes Public Library
190 Kent Street West K9V 2Y6 Lindsay, ON, Canada

For this #ThrowbackThursday, let's take a look at the Annual Lilac Festival, celebrating it's 20th anniversary. The Lilac Gardens of Lindsay located in Logie Street Park were begun as the 'Millennium Project' by local Citizens of the Year, spearheaded by 1994's Lindsay Citizen of the Year Len Shea. The project's goal was to plant a legacy of lilacs for Lindsay and with endorsement from the Master Gardeners and the Lindsay Horticultural Society, the 'Lilacs for Lindsay' group... presented their proposal to the Town Council. By 1996, the Town of Lindsay granted permission to the group to plant lilacs in a portion of Logie Street Park. In 1998, with a grant from the Horticultural Society, the group began planting the first 209 lilacs of eleven different species. In the same year, the Master Gardeners added a Perennial Butterfly Garden that they continue to maintain. By 2000, the Millennium Project was well underway with lilacs being planted in private gardens and fronting commercial businesses around town. A second location for planting lilacs was approved in Mayor Jim Flynn Park and 85 lilacs were planted there, and the group became the 'Lilac Gardens of Lindsay'. In 2001, the first Lilac Festival was held on May 26 on Logie Street Park. Alive with blossoms, butterflies, and curious plant lovers, the festival lasted for the whole weekend. As of this festival, the Town of Lindsay hosted 700 lilac plants of 127 varieties that were planted by the Lilacs for Lindsay group. The plantings could be found in the Logie Street Park, the Riverside Cemetery, St. Mary's Cemetery, and at 10 Russell Street East. In 2002, visitors to the main garden gates started making donations to dedicate a planted lilac to a loved one. This sparked the newly created 'Memorial Walk', later becoming the 'Memory Walk' allowing donations to dedicate a lilac along the walk for any special, memorable event. In 2007, the Mayor proclaimed the lilac as the official shrub of the City of Kawartha Lakes in recognition of the Lilac Gardens of Lindsay Volunteer Committee. A dedicated lilac shrub was also planted in honour of Harold James, an original founder. The Gardens continue to flourish to this day. And though there could be no Lilac Festival while Logie Street Park was being redone during 2018 and 2019 and the pandemic having paused everything, we look forward to the next Lilac Festival. . . #KawarthaLakes #KawarthaLibrary #KawarthaLibraryArchives #LilacFestival #LocalHistory #TBT #TBThursday #Gardening #EarthDay2021

#storytime What do you want to be when you grow up? Dream BIG! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRd9zyOOrnw&t=9s

Happy Earth Day! Check out our Youtube channel for some Earth Day storytimes and crafts - which includes lots of ways for kids to help the Earth too. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6PE1HQQfcnoyQPHkf_lR6Q #EarthDay

Did you know that you can find a history of our libraries on the website? To find it, go to www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca. Under ‘Our Collection’ select ‘14 Branches, 1 Collection’. #DigitalSpotlight

New Take Home Packs now available at all branches! Get February’s pack while supplies last. For more information, or to download instructions to give it a try at home, visit www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/takehomepacks

Practice those fine motor skills with this fun snowflake craft! #MakerMonday https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=792nSPuocdM

Municipal calendars are still available for pickup at our branches during opening pickup hours. For a complete list of branch hours, visit www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/covid19

Take Home Packs now available at branches on a first come, first serve basis. Here's a video to further explain the pack for preschool-aged kids. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV4bDkiN50Q

Applications are due by Friday February 5th if you are interested in becoming a library board member. https://www.kawarthalakes.ca//join-a-board-or-committee.as

At home access for Ancestry.ca has been extended to March 31st 2021 thanks to ProQuest. To get started, visit www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/digitallibrary

#MakerMonday Just in time for Christmas, the cutest fox stocking you ever did see! Find this, and many more craft ideas on Creativebug - one of our Digital Library resources. Get started at www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/digitallibrary

A new storywalk is now available at Ken Reid! This will be up until at least the end of February. Enjoy!

Here's an information update on how the Kent St. construction will impact the library. Please note that the branch will continue to be open throughout the construction project. https://www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/Modules/News/index.aspx

Let us know! #BoredomBuster

First we read this book and THEN comes... Christmas baking? Making a snowman? Enjoying another Christmas story? You choose! Today's storytime book is called 'And Then Comes Christmas'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo9tEpDcqHY

#TriviaTuesday - test your knowledge of famous logos! https://forms.gle/KZETgL7Gp6sznFJo8

We know families have missed being able to browse library shelves, so we are introducing a new book bundling service for children. Fill out the form at the link below to let us know what your child's reading interests are, then we will select books for you to pick up at your preferred branch. www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/bookbundles

The December take home activity is now available at all branches! This month, make a reindeer antler headband. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBZCsC6I6ps&t=27s

Colleen from our Lindsay branch told us I don’t usually pick up a book that has a romance sticker on the spine label but this book came highly recommended by a big burly male patron! Songs of Love War, written by Santa Montefiore, is the first book of a 4 part series. This historical fiction novel, set in Ireland, has a sprinkling of romance throughout, but offers so much more. #BookTalk

There wasn’t a Santa Day this year in Fenelon Falls but you can still drop off your letters for you know who! You can also pick up special envelopes that are addressed to Santa.

‘Tis the season to make Christmas ornaments

Christmas (yes, you heard us, Christmas!) take home early literacy kits are now available at all branches while supplies last. Pick up yours during opening hours.

#ThrowbackThursday to the first snowfall of 1981 in Lindsay. This is a photo of McDonnell Park from the Wellington Street bridge. How old were you in 1981? What are/were your favourite snow day activities to do?... #tbt #kawarthalibrary #kawarthalakes #lindsay #snow #canadianwinter #1981 #localhistory #parks

What words can you create by only using these letters? Andddd go! #boredombuster

The Omemee branch is now open to the public! Come on in to browse the shelves! Please note the new hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 1pm 4pm, and Fridays 10am - 2pm. Lindsay and Fenelon Falls are also open to the public. For a complete list of hours, visit www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/covid19

#TriviaTuesday - Shops in the City of Kawartha Lakes https://forms.gle/VnJkmCvcsyhDgrWB9 #supportlocal

Our fall BINGO is here with lots of creative ways to enjoy the cooler days in Fenelon Falls. Challenge your family and friends to join in the fun! #fallbingo #FunInFenelon #explorefenelonfalls #fenelonfalls #kawarthalakes #fallfun #BINGO #familyfun

Still have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? Put it to good use with a turkey recipe from A to Z World Foods! Get started here: www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/digitallibrary

So many of our Full STEAM Ahead kits have already been checked out! We hope that you are all enjoying them. Place a hold to get yours at www.kawarthalakeslibrary.ca/fullsteamahead.

#Storytime - Lois reads The Peace Book https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g0Y5v7ieiko&t=1s

The Customer Service desk located on the first floor of the Lindsay Service Centre at 180 Kent Street West has re-opened to the public with regular hours, Monda...y to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Due to safety protocols and resources, only limited services are being provided at this time. https://bit.ly/38MpBYg See more

Call the Fenelon Falls branch to participate in the mask sewing program. 705 887 6300. Limited space available on October 22nd and October 29th.

The Lindsay branch is open 10am - 3pm Monday through Saturday. The book sale is occurring in the lobby on the main floor. Thank you!

Get your take home craft in Fenelon Falls! If you can’t make it to Fenelon Falls, don’t worry - we’ll have news later this week about something fun you can pick up at other branches too.

Summer Green to Autumn Gold - our newest fall storytime video has been released! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qh85q5su04

*New program alert. We are starting a virtual read to the dog program called Dog Tales! This a great opportunity for your child to practice their reading without judgement. To book a time, or for more information, please email [email protected] Space is limited!

We've got pictures of some of our library branches. Can you guess which one is which? #TriviaTuesday How many of our 14 branches have you visited? https://forms.gle/fY4DmAdMStRmqode7

Kawartha Lakes Public Library introduces new program for families.

What book are these book spines describing? #boredombuster

#Storytime today - May We Have Enough to Share. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_iLKOXmH3A