Today, Mel and I headed to the Beaverbrook Branch of the Ottawa Public Library—she to scan a few magazine articles, I to look for information on women in war for my upcoming Remembrance Day post. Mel immediately went to the reference desk to ask the librarian the location of the scanners. I perused a display of books for Remembrance Day, grabbing one and settling myself in a nearby chair. When the reference librarian was free, I approached her to ask for help in finding a book on my chosen subject. Céline—as I would later learn her name was—immediately started typing a search into her computer, turning her screen so that we could view it together. She narrowed her search to non-fiction books available at the Beaverbrook Branch. As we scanned through the hits, Céline said, "I love my job." Clearly, she did. After we had found one title that suited my needs and she had written down the call number for me, Mel reappeared at the desk. She needed help with the scanner. Céline followed her, and I set off to the second floor to find my book.

When I returned to the first floor, Céline was in full helper mode, not only assisting Mel with scanning her documents but also saying to Mel, just as I arrived, "I'll just hover here in case you have any questions." As Mel continued her project, Céline turned to me and asked, "Did you find your book?" I replied that it wasn't on the shelf. Céline asked a passing colleague to see whether she could find the book I was seeking, but remained by Mel's side to make sure that she would be successful in her endeavours. Céline's colleague did find the book. It had been pulled for potential use in a Remembrance Day collection, though it wasn't on display at the time. Both Mel and I were overjoyed with the service we received from Céline. In fact, everyone working at the Beaverbrook Branch went out of their way to meet our needs. Today, the library represented help, welcome, nurturing.

I love the Beaverbrook Branch of the Ottawa Public Library. The space is gorgeous, having been renovated and expanded almost 10 years ago. A few years back, when Mel took guitar lessons at the adjacent John G Mlacak Centre, I used to while away the time at the Beaverbrook Branch. I would install myself at one of the high tables on the second floor and gaze out through the library's floor-to-ceiling windows at the winter night. At that time, the library represented peace, quiet, serenity.

Until recently, I hadn't been back to the Beaverbrook Branch for a few years. Mel and I popped in a few weeks ago. It was a Wednesday afternoon, just after school had let out. The library was packed with students from the nearby Earl of March Secondary School—many doing homework, some playing together in a games room. On that occasion, the library represented studying, productivity, fun.

Libraries are so much more than buildings with shelves of books. They are a welcoming environment for individuals and groups, a place to learn and grow, a site to feel connected to others even if simply sharing a table.

As Globe and Mail health reporter André Picard wrote recently in Paying more attention to the health and social benefits of libraries is overdue, "libraries today have become much more than mere repositories for books." He describes them as community hubs that offer health and social services. Picard writes:

As climate chaos grows, libraries serve as warming and cooling centres. They offer free WiFi for those who can’t afford it, a bit of story-time respite for overwhelmed parents and caregivers, language courses for new Canadians, free technology training courses, job training for hundreds of thousands, cooking classes, and a place for students to study, and gig workers to work, as well as social interaction for the growing legions of the lonely.

He points out that "In the digital age, libraries are actually more popular than ever, as one of the last public spaces open and welcoming to all." I was struck by Picard's reference to "the growing legions of the lonely" and "one of the last public spaces open and welcoming to all." Picard goes on to say that while libraries are doing more and more, including during the pandemic, they are struggling to meet new demands in the face of flat or declining funding. While he acknowledges that every institution wants more funding, he argues that we need to help libraries flourish. He concludes his piece by saying: "There is no doubt libraries are good for our health, individually and collectively."

The commitment of librarians to the communities they serve was evident in the assistance we received today from Céline. Normally at the Centennial Branch of the Ottawa Public Library, Céline told Mel about the programs available at her branch for members of the community: a group for seniors who play card games, activities for families, craft groups (one cleverly named "Crafternoons"), and board game nights. Her enthusiasm for these programs was infectious.

Today made me want to spend more time in libraries.