Barrie Public Library:1)A simple way to give back: Barrie Public Library’s Holiday Giving Tree; 2)New self-serve library kiosk launches at RVH

1)A simple way to give back: Barrie Public Library’s Holiday Giving Tree

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Marie Gagn, December 22, 2025

The holidays are about more than gifts. They’re about gratitude, connection, and finding meaningful ways to give back. This December, the Barrie Public Library is offering a new way to do just that with the launch of its Holiday Giving Tree.

It’s a simple idea with a powerful impact that invites the whole community to take part.

What is the Holiday Giving Tree?

Located in the lobby of the Downtown Barrie Public Library, the Giving Tree allows visitors to honour someone special while supporting a space that serves people of all ages, all year long.

Community members can choose a decorative ornament tag, write a short dedication, and place it on the tree. The message might honour a loved one, celebrate a milestone, remember someone missed, or simply express appreciation for the role the library plays in their life.

Each ornament becomes a visible reminder of generosity and shared stories during the holiday season.

A gift that gives back

Every donation made through the Giving Tree helps support and enhance library services, programs, and resources that benefit the entire community. Donations of $20 or more are eligible for a charitable tax receipt, making it both a heartfelt and practical way to give.

It’s a chance to support literacy, learning, and connection while also creating something meaningful and personal.

A growing symbol of community kindness

As the month goes on, the tree will fill with messages from across Barrie, turning it into a living display of appreciation, remembrance, and goodwill.

“We’re excited to introduce the Giving Tree as a way for our community to express appreciation, celebration, and hope,” says Katelyn Lees, Philanthropy and Resource Management Specialist. “Each message placed on the tree reflects the spirit of giving that keeps our library thriving.”

How to take part

The Holiday Giving Tree is available throughout December at the Downtown branch. Visitors are welcome to stop in, make a donation, and add their dedication at any time during the month.

Whether you’re honouring a teacher, a family member, a friend, or the library itself, the Giving Tree offers a meaningful way to celebrate the season — and support a place that continues to bring people together.

2)New self-serve library kiosk launches at RVH

Courtesy Barrie360.com

By Marie Gagne, December 22, 2025

Hospitals are places of waiting. Waiting for news, waiting for answers, waiting for loved ones. Now, thanks to a new partnership between Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH) and the Barrie Public Library (BPL), there’s a simple way to fill some of that time with comfort, distraction, and connection.

A new self-serve library kiosk is now open inside RVH, giving patients, visitors, staff, and volunteers easy access to books right in the hospital.

How the library kiosk works

Located beside Victoria’s Gift Shop, the kiosk is designed to be quick and intuitive. Anyone with a Barrie Public Library card can scan it to unlock the kiosk, browse the collection, and borrow items in seconds. Once the door closes, books are automatically checked out.

Returns are just as simple. Drop them back in and they’re instantly scanned.

The collection includes popular reads for all ages, offering something engaging whether you’re looking to pass time, unwind, or escape into a story for a while.

Reading as part of healing and wellness

The idea behind the kiosk goes beyond convenience. It reflects a shared belief between RVH and BPL that access to learning, creativity, and calm plays a meaningful role in overall wellness.

“Reading can offer calm, distraction, and hope during challenging moments,” says Lauren Jessop, CEO of the Barrie Public Library. “Bringing a library kiosk to the hospital allows us to support patients, families, staff, and volunteers with easy access to stories, information, and comfort when they need it most.”

RVH leadership echoes that sentiment, noting that partnerships like this help create a more welcoming and supportive environment for everyone who walks through the hospital doors.

No library card? There’s still a book for you

Alongside the kiosk, RVH now also offers a Book Nook.

The Book Nook is a take-a-book, leave-a-book shelf that’s open to everyone, no library card required. It’s another small but thoughtful way to make reading accessible to people spending time at the hospital, whether for an appointment, a long shift, or a loved one’s bedside.

Together, the kiosk and Book Nook help turn quiet moments into opportunities for comfort and connection.

Bringing the library beyond it’s walls

This isn’t the first time Barrie Public Library has brought its services into everyday community spaces. The RVH kiosk joins two others already operating at the East Bayfield Community Centre and the Allandale Recreation Centre.

It’s part of a growing effort to meet people where they are, making library access easier, more flexible, and woven into daily life.

Library memberships remain free for Barrie and Oro-Medonte residents, as well as anyone who works or attends school in Barrie.

For many, this new kiosk may offer a small moment of normalcy in an unfamiliar setting. And sometimes, a good book is exactly what’s needed.