Newmarket Public Library

1856 The forerunner of the modern NPL, the Newmarket Mechanics Institute was first organized and held its meetings in the Town Court House, sometimes called the Town Hall, situated on the north side of Timothy Street. Many Institutes of the time offered evening classes, lectures, exhibitions, concerts, plays, a Reading Room and circulating library. 

1860 The Institute erected Mechanics Hall adjacent to the Grammar School on Lot Street (now Millard Avenue) and quickly became an effective force in the community. It offered classes in practical subjects such as business bookkeeping, arithmetic, writing, and art. Local talent was developed through monthly musical and literary productions.

 1878 Annual Meeting of Mechanics Institute published in the Newmarket Era 24 May 1878.

 1880 Mechanics Institutes across Canada were transferred from the Department of Agriculture to the Department of Education.

 1882 The Province of Ontario passed the Free Libraries Act. This act permitted each municipality to raise funds for the Mechanics Institute through public taxation, after local ratepayers approved the establishment of a Free Library in a plebiscite.

 1885 The Town of Newmarket had 828 volumes in its library and 35 paid library members.

 1891 Newmarket's library was in a number of downtown locations over the years. In 1891, the library was located over Atkinson's jewelry store and in 1894 the library reading rooms were above Griffith's shoe store.

 1895 The Ontario Legislature passed an Act making obsolete all Mechanics Institutes and stating that they should henceforth be known as Public Libraries. Each Public Library was to be under the control of a Library Board appointed by the Town Council of the municipality.

 1896 Financial difficulties and declining public interest threatened to close the library.

 1901 The Newmarket Public Library had 134 members and in November of that year the Board rented the premises at the corner of Main Street and Park Avenue (the site of the present Clock Tower building).

 1904 The Town of Newmarket held a referendum and the ratepayers approved a free library, open to all citizens.

 1912 The library was moved from the corner of Main and Park to the old Cawthra Bank Building, at the corner of Main and Water Streets.

 1922 The library transferred to the second floor of the Dr. Wesley block at the northwest corner of Main and Botsford Streets. Here it remained until 1956 when it was moved to a new building on Park Avenue, just west of Main Street.

 1936 New book purchases published as news in the Newmarket Era newspaper 4 Jun 1936 included works by Canada's Governor General John Buchan, and Canadian authors Ralph Connor, Nellie McClung and L.M. Montgomery.

 1956 The present NPL building located at 438 Park Avenue was opened on Saturday Jun 9, 1956. A bequest by the late Edgar Bogart contributed greatly to the fundraising that was needed for the construction of the site.

 1974 A portable building was added to the south side of the library, and remained in use until the library was expanded four years later.

 1978 A large expansion and renovation expanded the library facility from 5,500 square feet to 18,000 square feet but after a short time it was again at capacity.

 1980's Further expansion options were investigated and several designs including new locations and additions to the existing building were considered.

 1994 An addition and renovation to the building at 438 Park Avenue, costing approximately 3.1 million dollars, was approved by the Town Council in June, 1994. Capital costs in the amount of $550,000 for furnishings and equipment, and $412,000 for new books and materials were also allocated.

 1995 In June the library was moved to a temporary warehouse site on Mulock Drive and continued to provide library services to the public during the construction of the addition.

 1996 In February the library took possession of the 35,000 square feet renovated building, with the grand opening September 28, 1996.

 2004 Newmarket Public Library celebrated its 100th Anniversary as a free public library.