Shellbrook Library Celebrates 60th

Written by the Shellbrook Chronicle
Volume 101 - Shellbrook, Saskatchewan Friday, March 30, 2012 - No. 13

Board members, past and present employees, dignitaries, library users and the Shellbrook Elementary School Grade 2 class turned to to help celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Shellbrook Library Monday, March 26.

Local library Board Chair, Deb Mervold emceed the event which opened with speeches from Shellbrook Mayor George Tomporowski, board member and RM Councilor Doug Oleksyn, former Board Chair Bishop Tom Morgan and Wapiti Executive Committee Member Gerwing.

Library Vice-Chair Elna Fish also presented a comprehensive history of the library in Shellbrook.

Throughout the years, the library has been housed in many locations -- eight to be exact.

In 1952, Shellbrook joined the North Central Saskatchewan Regional Library after the Home and School Association raised the $225 start up fee.

The first branch was located in Halliwell's Hardware with J.C. Heatherington volunteering as librarian.

The official grand opening took place in the Legion hall, march 26, 1952.

From there, the library moved into the town rest room, west of the Elks' Theatre and then later into a small room inside the theatre. It then found temporary home in Dorothy's Floral Shop in 1960 and then moved into Norman Smith's Furniture Store where it stayed from 1961-1977. When that business was sold, the library remained until its next move into the basement of the Shellbrook Credit Union.

It was during this time that the Library's longest serving librarian Hazel Barkway served her tenure.

A permanent home for the library was construed at the corner of Main Street and Third Avenue East in 1984. The new facility was far more accessible than the previous location and traffic increased.

"We were limited with space at the Credit Union and of course when we moved into the new building we got more shelving and so headquarters gave us a whole bunch new books," said Barkway, who was librarian from 1979 to 1994.

During her time one of the first stops for new residents in town was the library.

However, with the growth of technology the library's needs outgrew the facility and it was determined that one more move was in order.

In 1996, the library moved into its current home in the Provincial Building on Railway Avenue West.

Over the past sixty years 12 librarians, both volunteer and paid employees, have assisted with library patrons needs.

Mayor George Tomporowski quoted Dr. Seuss' "Oh the places you'll go" to get his point across about the importance of reading and libraries themselves.

"The more you read, the more things you will know. The more you learn the more places you'll go."

"The more knowledge we have the more empowered we are," said Tomporowski.

Through the years the library has expanded from 250 items to nearly 7,000 volumes plus access to a province wide network of libraries through the Saskatchewan Information and library Services network. The library also includes computer services that were completely unheard of when the library first opened its doors.

In 1975, the North Central Regional Library celebrated a quarter century in existence and changed its name to Wapiti. In 1978 Shellbrook won the Wallis Wapiti Award for the most improved branch and in 1999 was the recipient of the Wapiti Regional Library Award in recognition of its many accomplishments.

Through the years the new facility has aslo doubled as a showcase for local artisans as well as the Organization of Saskatchewan Arts Councils (OSAC) travelling art exhibits while local painters have also used the space to ply their craft.

Library’s 60th Anniversary Party on March 26

Do you know these faces? Donated to the Library by Marilyn Loth, the niece of former Librarian Dorothy Loth, the only information we have is that the event is suspected to be a workshop held in an unidentified location. Please contact the Library at 747-3419 or visit if you can help match names to faces.

The Shellbrook Public Library invites the community to come celebrate its 60th Anniversary at the Library on Monday, March 26, at 2:00 pm. The Library adds to its history as it moves through its fifth decade.

The Library invites the community to join its 60th Diamond Anniversary party on Monday, March 26. There will be a short program starting at 2:00 pm with cake and refreshments served afterwards. There will be displays of the Library history and the 1961 NFB film “Books for Beaver River” will be available for viewing. This nineteen minute story chronicles the creation of the regional library system and was shot locally with local people. Thank you to members and friends of the LaClaire Family for identifying Kenny LaClaire and Patty Perkins as the boy and girl on the Rayside School swing set.

The first volunteer librarians were J. G. Heatherington, Mrs. Thomas Rowles, and Vesta Massey. Since the Library’s inauguration the librarians that have served the community have been: Vesta Massey from 1952 to 1960; Dorothy Loth in 1960; Doris Smith from 1961 to 1975; Dorothy Perkins from 1975 to 1977, Anne Anderson in 1978, Brenda Kinnaird in 1978 to 1979; the longest serving Hazel Barkway from fall 1979 to June 1994; Linda Mazurkewich began working in July 1994 (Diane Aug served as acting librarian in 2002) and Mazurkewich retired in March 2007 with Alanna Carswell starting in April 2007 and serving to the present.

As previously told, the location of the Library was Halliwell Hardware, the Ladies Restroom, the Elks Theatre, Dorothy’s Floral Shop probably in 1960, Norman Smith’s Shellbrook Furniture Store (presently Dee Gee's Confectionery) from about 1961 to 1977, Shellbrook Credit Union from 1977 to 1984, a custom built building (presently Triple S. Transport) on the corner of Main Street and 3rd Avenue from 1984 to 1996, and into the Provincial Building at 105 Railway Avenue West from 1996 to the present day. In June 1997 the card catalogue was automated and in June 2010 the automated catalogue went provincial, joining the Saskatchewan Information & Library Services (SILS) Consortium.

Notable fiction books published in 2002, the Library’s fiftieth year, were “Coraline” by Neil Gaiman, “The Secret Life of Bees” by Sue Monk Kidd, “Family Matters” by Rohinton Mistry, “The Summons” by John Grisham, “Grave Secrets” (Temperance Brennan series, #5) by Kathy Reichs, “2nd Chance” (Women's Murder Club series, #2) by James Patterson, “Lady Knight” (Protector of the Small series, #4) by Tamora Pierce, and “The Carnivorous Carnival” (A Series of Unfortunate Events series, #9) by Lemony Snicket, “Franklin Says I Love You” (Franklin the Turtle series, #27) by Paulette Bourgeois and Sharon Jennings and illustrated by Brenda Clark.

Online Catalogue Down

Following the March 19 power outage in Saskatoon, a piece of server hardware was damaged resulting in the downing of the online catalogue. Replacement of the damaged hardware is still pending.

For patrons who need to renew items, it can still be done via the automated renewal system at 1-888-975-8165.

EDIT: Full services have been restored.