Markham Public Library (MPL) is a library system operated by the municipal government of the City of Markham in Canada. There are eight branches in the city, serving about 250,000 residents in Markham.[9] The libraries are managed by the Administration Centre, located at 6031 Highway 7.
| Markham Public Library (MPL) | |
|---|---|
| Vision: Markham Public Library - the Place where Markham's communities come together to imagine, create, learn and grow. | |
 | |
| 43°52′24″N 79°15′31″W? / ?43.873397°N 79.258485°W | |
| Location | Markham, Ontario, Canada |
| Branches | 8 |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | business directories, government publications, non-fiction and fiction books, periodicals, genealogy, local history, DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, toys, seeds |
| Size | Approximately 500,000[1][2][3][4][5][6] |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 4,461,543 (2012)[7] |
| Population served | 261,573[8] |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $12,307,408 (2012) [7] |
| Director | Catherine Biss, CEO[9] |
| Employees | over 240 |
| Website | www |
In 2008, the system was renamed to the singular Markham Public Library to reflect its status as one unified system. Its current Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is Catherine Biss.
History
editWhile the current library system dates back to the 1970s, there was the subscription based system popular in 19th Century Ontario, the Mechanics’ Institute, operated out of the Old Town Hall on Main Street.
Branches
editThe Markham Public Library has 8 branches. The Markham Public Library branches are:
- Aaniin Library
- Angus Glen Library
- Cornell Library
- Markham Village Library
- Milliken Mills Library
- Thornhill Community Library
- Thornhill Village Library
- Unionville Library
| Branch | Location | Size | Collection | Notes | Image |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aaniin Library[10] | 14th Avenue and Middlefield Road | ~20,000 square feet (1,900 m2) | Opened in 2018 (original planned completion for August 2015 delayed until 2018). | 
| |
| Angus Glen Library[1] | 3990 Major MacKenzie Drive | 29,700 square feet (2,760 m2) | 157,434 | Built 2003-2005 and has largest collection in Markham. |
|
| Cornell Library[11] | 3201 Bur Oak Avenue | 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) | 100,000 | Opened in 2012 and has a medical library on second floor. Markham Stouffville Hospital Library open to all user including patients and staff from Markham Stouffville Hospital. Houses Health and Wellness collection. | 
|
| Markham Village Library[2] | 6041 Highway 7 | 30,000 square feet (2,800 m2) | 120,000 | Built after 1977 when Markham Fair moved from the location. Library re-opened with larger premises 2009; site of the Agricultural Hall rink (c.1916) and original home of the Markham Fairgrounds. | 
|
| Milliken Mills Library[3] | Unit 1, 7600 Kennedy Road | 16,865 square feet (1,566.8 m2) | 80,000 | Opened in 1990 along with Community Centre. | 
|
| Thornhill Community Library[4] | 7755 Bayview Avenue | 26,053 square feet (2,420.4 m2) | 80,000 | Opened in 1975 along with Community Centre and renovated in 1989 and 2010. | 
|
| Thornhill Village Library[5] | 10 Colborne Street | 4,283 square feet (397.9 m2) | 30,000 | Building built 1851 and library since 1959; last renovated in 1992. | 
|
| Unionville Library[6] | 15 Library Lane | 13,640 square feet (1,267 m2) | 100,000 | Opened in 1984 replacing older library and now Old Unionville Library Community Centre. | 
|
Customer-Centred Classification
edit
The Markham Village branch was the first to develop its own library classification system called the Customer Centred Classification (C3).[12] Compared to the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) or Library of Congress Classification (LCC), C3 is more modern and is supposed to be easier for library patrons to find books at the book stacks. All branches utilize the C3 cataloguing system for their non-fiction collection. The Thornhill Village branch started the migration to C3 in 2009, and C3 is used by the Thornhill Community Centre branch when it re-opened in 2011.[13]
Membership
editPeople who work, live, or attend a school in York Region may apply for a free membership. Otherwise, a $60.00 annual membership fee will apply.[14]
Services
editLike many other libraries across Ontario, the Markham Public Library system allows members to check out books and other physical and online media. Members can:
- Place up to 75 holds per one membership account;
- Check out 100 physical items per one membership account;
- Use TeleCirc Telephone Library Service;
- Use the Interlibrary loan service;
- Access free online courses
Borrowing privileges
edit| Item Types | Loan Period | Renewals | Late Return Fines |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books, talking books, music CD, Children's Kits, CD-ROM (Software), Watt Readers[15] |
21 days | Unlimited renewals (with no holds by other members) | $0.30 per day, up to a maximum of $6 |
| Video, Cassettes, DVDs, Blu-ray Discs[15] | 7 days | 3 renewals (with no holds by other members) | $2 per day, up to a maximum of $6 |
| Xbox 360 games[15] | 7 days | No renewals allowed | $2 per day, up to a maximum of $6 |
| Boomerang[15] | 7 days for DVDs, 14 days for books | No renewals allowed | $0.30 per day, up to a maximum of $6 |
| Magazines[15] | 21 days | No renewals allowed | $0.30 per day, up to a maximum of $6 |
| EBook[16] | up to 21 days | No renewals, but can be borrowed again if the item is available | EBooks automatically expire at the end of period, no late fee |
Other services
edit
Other than borrowing books and media, the following services are available:[17]
- Free WiFi Internet
- Library Catalogue access
- One hour internet access per day per membership account (additional time can be requested - guest logins are available for those without a library card)
- One hour of Microsoft Office or OpenOffice (depending on the branch) per day per membership account
- Regular programs for preschool, children, teen, and adults
- Time specific programs, eg. PA Days, Winter Breaks, March Breaks, and Summer Holidays
- Meeting rooms for rent
- Study rooms of various occupancy (inquire at specific branch for availability and bookings)
- Photocopying, printing, scanning
- Maker Space at Aaniin branch with 3D printers and laser cutter, virtual reality, and equipment for robotics, circuitry and coding[18]
- Kids Makerspace at Connell branch has toys and digital tools that are geared toward STEAM[19]
- Digital Media Lab for graphic designs, making and editing videos, music and podcasts, etc[20]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Angus Glen Library Fact Sheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Markham Village Library Factsheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Milliken Mills Library Factsheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Thornhill Community Library Factsheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Thornhill Village Library Factsheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Unionville Library Factsheet". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b Canadian Library Statistics: Public Library Statistics - 2012
- ^ "Community highlights for Markham". 2006 Community Profiles. Statistics Canada. 2025-08-06. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b "Contact". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ Chan, Kenneth (2025-08-06). "New community centre and library a gem for Markham (PHOTOS)". Daily Hive. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ " "Cornell Community Centre & Library".
- ^ "C3 Customer-Centred Classification: Replacing Dewey for Better Merchandising and Customer Service" (PDF). Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Markham awarded the Peter J. Marshall Municipal Innovation Award". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Membership of MPL". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ a b c d e "Borrowing Service". Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Markham Public Library - OverDrive".
- ^ "Adult Services". Archived from the original on 2025-08-06. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Aaniin Makerspace". Markham Public Library. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Kids Makerspace". Markham Public Library. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
- ^ "Digital Media Lab". Markham Public Library. Retrieved 2025-08-06.
External links
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