About Us
Champlain Library is located in a quiet Victorian corner of our township, in the heart of the town of Vankleek Hill.
Champlain Library serves all of Champlain Township including L’Orignal and West Hawkesbury. We also have a contract with the Township of East Hawkesbury allowing residents to have free membership at Champlain Library.
We invite you to browse through our collection of over 17,000 items including books, (including audiobooks and large print books), DVDs, CDs and magazines.
Six public computers are available free with Internet access and we have Wi-Fi.
We have free access to digital e-books and e-audio books through Overdrive. We also have quiet work areas to do research, homework or to just relax and read.
We have many programs and workshops throughout the year.
Library Staff
Mission Statement
Offering the community bilingual access to information, literature and ideas that stimulate imagination and inquiry.
Vision Statement
Champlain Library is a leader in celebrating reading and transforming lives through knowledge and information. The library provides accessible services through current technology and contemporary facilities. The library is a recognized contributor to the high quality of life in the community through exceptional services and valued partnerships.
Statement of Values
Creativity, imagination and curiosity
Encouraging the joy of reading and life-long learning
Equity
Ensuring accessibility and fairness, to recognize diversity in serving all individuals.
Intellectual Freedom
Guaranteeing and facilitating access to all expressions of knowledge and intellectual activity.
Patron Service
Ensuring high quality and excellence in responding to the needs of our patrons.
Community Connectedness
Enhancing library services through partnerships and consultation with the community.
Teamwork
Fostering a work ethic that advocates cooperation, communication, respect and training.
Board Members
Normand Riopel, Mayor – Champlain Township
Cynthia Martin, Secretary-Treasurer – CEO Champlain Library
Michelle Landriault, Chairperson
Pat Parent – Board member
Pauline Sarrazin – Board member
Tammy Hall – Board member
Sandra Bebbington – Board member
Justin Bromberg – Board member Helen MacLeod – Board Member
Across Ontario, many public libraries owe their existence to the Mechanics’ Institutes, an 1850s club with the goals to improve farming, manufacturing, literacy. In both Vankleek Hill and in L’Orignal, they held educational meetings and created libraries. In L’Orignal, women were permitted to use the Mechanics’ Institute library two evenings a week. By the 1890s, their membership waned, and the contents of their libraries formed the base of new public libraries.
After Vankleek Hill was incorporated as a town in 1897, council created the Vankleek Hill Library Board to shepherd a public library. Over a century later, the Board meets monthly to work with the Head Librarian to draft the annual budget, create and update policies, monitor how the library functions in keeping with provincial regulations. The Board does not have a role in library operations.
Library Board members volunteer their names and are appointed by Council for four years. They are not remunerated. Currently, the Board has six members, and the Township Mayor is ex officio to represent council. The Head Librarian acts as Secretary-Treasurer.
The minutes of the Library Board meetings can be found here as part of the regular council meeting minutes.