By Matt Kelly

N.B. library celebrates 100 years

Oct 13, 2016 | 5:00 PM

The North Battleford library is celebrating a milestone and residents are encouraged to partake in next week’s special events.

Anniversary Week takes place from Oct. 16 to 22. Head librarian Amanda Foster said 100 years is a big moment.

“I think it’s a really big milestone. As far as we know it’s a longer time than anybody around here has been alive, to my knowledge our oldest patron is about 96. It’s a long, long time and so many things have happened, libraries have changed so much,” she said.

The original library building, now occupied by the Allen Sapp Gallery, opened in 1916 and was a part of a historic group of libraries. American industrialist Andrew Carnegie funded libraries in the United States and Canada, but predominately eastern Canada.

“There were very few out west, so for a community of this size to have had a library at that time was fairly remarkable.”

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During the week there are activities at the library including movie nights, children’s events and a sock hop, but Foster said it all culminates with the open house on Saturday, Oct. 22.

“We’re having the Meota Hobby Band, we’re having cake and we’re having a green screen booth so people can have themselves in little videos in front of old pictures of the library. For kids there’s face painting, balloons and there’s a retro story time. Our former children’s librarian is going to do a story time like she would have done in the 1970s and 1980s,” Foster said.

Foster added the library has been in its current location since 1986 and there will be a 30th anniversary celebration for the building Dec. 1.

Matt Kelly is battlefordsNOW’s town municipal affairs and community reporter. He can be reached at mkelly@jpbg.ca or tweet him @mattjkelly2.