The Haldimand County Public Library has some exciting programs coming up for the community.

For further information on library programming, please contact Katrina Krupicz, Community Outreach/Inreach Coordinator, Haldimand County Public Library at 905-318-5932 ext. 6552,  or by email at kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Author visit with Lisa Sherk

Local author Lisa Sherk will be at the Dunnville branch of the Haldimand County Public Library on Thursday, Mar. 2 at 6 p.m. to share her first book of poetry entitled The Looking Glass: Glimpses of Life Through Poetry. Featuring rhyming and free verse poetry, The Looking Glass explores the themes of grief, loss, spirituality, and connectivity. No registration is required.

Community Volunteer Income Tax Program

In partnership with the Canada Revenue Agency, the Library is offering free income tax filing services by trained volunteers as part of the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. This tax program will be offered by drop-off only, at the Caledonia, Jarvis, Cayuga, Hagersville, and Selkirk branches. The free tax clinics will run from March 1 to April 14, 2023.

To be eligible for this free tax filing service, participants must be:

• Single, with an annual income of $30,000 or less;
• Married couple, with a combined annual income of $40,000 or less;
• Single adult with dependents, with an annual income of $35,000 or less (plus an additional $2,500 per dependent);
• Individual with less than $1,000 investment income.

Once participants drop off materials and complete the necessary forms, all materials will be delivered to a volunteer by library staff. Upon completion of the tax files, participants will be called back to the library to pick up their completed forms. If any questions should arise during the process, a volunteer will contact participants by phone.

Red Cross babysitting course

Registration is now open for the Red Cross Babysitting course offered by the Haldimand County Public Library. Open to youth aged 11 to 17, the course will be offered at all local branches and will run over two or five days depending on the format.

The cost of the course is $40 per person and registration must be completed in person at the library branch. The maximum number of participants in each course is 12 to best ensure student safety and success. Participants will be required to attend all sessions at the branch and demonstrate a responsible and mature attitude in order to receive their certificate of completion.

The dates, times and locations of the upcoming, in-person babysitting courses are:

• Dunnville Branch – May 8-12, 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. (five-day course)
• Caledonia Branch – June 19-May 23, 4:30 – 5:45 p.m. (five-day course)
• Selkirk Branch – July 10-11, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (two-day course)
• Jarvis Branch – July 20-21, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (two-day course)
• Hagersville Branch – August 10-11, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (two-day course)
• Cayuga Branch – August 14-15, 10:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. (two-day course)

The Red Cross Babysitting course is a nationally recognized program and is designed to help participants develop self-assurance, knowledge and skills required not only for babysitting duties but also when at home. Topics covered in the course include caring for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and school-aged children as well as creating safe environments and how to handle emergencies.

Visit www.haldimandlibrary.com or connect on Facebook for information on branches, programs, and collections.

Haldimand County Public Library has partnered with Service Canada to offer informative in-person workshops about government benefits and services for local youth, Indigenous Peoples and seniors.

These programs will be offered in person at the identified branches with a Service Canada representative. Participants will be able to ask questions and join in discussions facilitated by library staff during and after the presentation. Pre-registration for these programs is recommended but not required.

Canada Pension Plan (CPP) /Old Age Security (OAS) benefits and My Service Canada Account Workshop

This workshop provides information about the Canadian Pension Plan and Old Age Security benefit such as eligibility requirements, how to calculate your payment, how to apply, when to apply, survivors benefits, child benefits and more.

At the end of this workshop, a Service Canada representative will answer questions about the My Service Canada Account. Anyone wishing to obtain a Personal Access Code (PAC) to access their My Service Canada Account (MSCA) that day will need to know their SIN and have photo ID.

Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Workshops are open to all residents and are scheduled as follows:

• February 9 at 10 a.m. – Cayuga Library and Heritage Center, 19 Talbot  St.
• March 6 at 1:30 p.m. – Selkirk Branch, 34 Main St W.
• March 15 at 1:30 p.m. – Hagersville Branch, 13 Alma St N.
• March 21 at 10 a.m. – Caledonia Branch, 100 Haddington St.
• June 6 at 10:30 a.m. – Dunnville Branch, 317 Chestnut St.

Services for Youth Workshop and Social Insurance Clinic (SIN)

This workshop will cover a variety of government benefits,  programs and incentives aimed to help youth find employment and fund post-secondary education.  Some of the topics covered will be the Canadian Government Job Bank, education grants and loans, apprenticeship incentives, grants and loans.

At the end of the workshop, a Service Canada employee will assist youth and any other members of the public in registering for a Social Insurance Number (Social Insurance Numbers are needed to gain employment, open a bank account and apply to post-secondary education).

Services for Youth Workshops and Social Insurance Clinics are open to all residents and are scheduled as follows:

• March 13 at 11 a.m. – Caledonia Branch, 100 Haddington St.
• March 16 at 1:30 p.m. – Dunnville Branch, 317 Chestnut St.
• April 24 at 2:30 p.m. – Jarvis Branch, 2 Monson St.

Anyone wishing to register for a Social Insurance Number must bring the following things:

1. A valid primary identification document such as a birth certificate, Canadian citizenship card, work or study permit, or permanent resident card.
2. A valid secondary identity document such as a passport, driver’s licence or health card.
3. A document showing proof of address such as a bill from a service provider, employment or school document, or a letter from an organization attesting to the applicant’s address signed by a representative of that organization and the applicant.

Services for Indigenous Peoples Workshop

This workshop will provide information on the Indigenous Seniors Assisted Living Program, The Hope for Wellness Hotline as well as the Canadian Pension Program and Old Age Security. Other topics that will be covered include the First Nations and Inuit Skills Link Program and financial assistance for Indigenous students.

The Services for Indigenous Peoples Workshop will be held at the Hagersville Branch (13 Alma St. N.) on Thursday, Mar. 16 at 5 p.m. The workshop is open to all residents.

For more information about these or other government benefits and services, or clarification on any document requirements, visit www.canada.ca or call 1-800-O-Canada.

The Haldimand County Public Library is hitting the ground running in 2023 with three engaging events coming up this month for the community to enjoy.

Author visit with Carolyn Huizinga Mills

The Library will be hosting an in-person author visit with Carolyn Huizinga Mills at the Dunnville Branch on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 3 p.m. where she’ll be discussing her latest novel, Sins of the Daughter. The visit will be approximately an hour in length with a short reading, book discussion and Q&A session. No registration is required.

Already an award-winning children’s author, Sins of the Daughter will be the first adult novel for the former Dunnville resident. The novel explores the fragile bond between mothers and daughters, and how the choices of one generation impact the next. Copies of the book are available to borrow from local library branches.

Book Club information night

The Haldimand County Public Library is launching a new book club at the Cayuga Branch. All those interested in joining or learning more about the program are invited to an information night at the Cayuga Branch on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 6:30 p.m.

The session will determine if there is enough interest to start a new club, discuss how each meeting will run, and chose the titles that will be read during the year.

Crafternoons

Crafternoons are adult-only craft sessions held at various branches of the Haldimand County Public Library with a different craft each month. Participants in the January Crafternoon sessions will be creating wooden spoon snowmen to bring some seasonal charm to their kitchen décor. All sessions take place at 1 p.m. and require a $2 fee.

• Jarvis Branch – Monday, Jan. 23
• Hagersville Branch – Wednesday, Jan 25
• Dunnville Branch – Thursday, Jan 26
• Cayuga Branch – Friday, Jan 27

The Haldimand County Public Library is hosting holiday programming for children aged 3 to 12 at all local branches over the winter holiday. Each library location will be offering in-branch crafts, parties and winter-themed Storytimes for some added fun over the winter break.

For a list of what is offered at each local library, residents can visit their library branch, call (289) 674-0400,  or visit www.haldimandlibrary.ca. Registration is required and some programs do have a small fee (between $1 and $4) to cover supplies.

The Library will also be offering more of the popular Children’s Take-Home Crafts in each of the local branches. Everyone is welcome to come in and grab a craft, completely free of charge, to complete in the comfort of their own home.

Haldimand County Public Library has two engaging events coming up this November. To register, visit or call your local branch at (289) 674-0400 or e-mail the library’s Outreach Coordinator at kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

2022 One Book One Haldimand author visit

Residents are invited to join fellow Haldimand County readers for a virtual visit by this year’s One Book One Haldimand author Emily Austin on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.

Attendees have the option to visit either online, from the comfort of their own home via Zoom, or in person at the Cayuga Branch. Participants will enjoy a short reading, a book talk and a Q&A session facilitated by library staff. Library membership is not required to join the discussion.

This year’s selection is Everyone In This Room Will Someday be Dead, written by Canadian author Emily Austin. Copies are available at Haldimand County Library branches in print format and from the library’s CloudLibrary and Libby digital services in e-book and e-audio formats.

Christmas card stamping workshop

Join Annette Ball from Stampin With the Bee’s to make three beautiful Christmas cards to send to family and friends. The registration fee is $10 with all proceeds being donated to the Library. Workshops are scheduled as follows:

Hagersville Branch: Tuesday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m.

Jarvis Branch: Thursday, Nov. 24 at 6 p.m.

Cayuga Branch: Thursday, Dec. 1 at 6 p.m.

Haldimand County Public Library is offering something for everyone with three exciting programs this October. All programs are free and some require pre-registration.

Healthy Eating While Watching your Pennies

The Haldimand County Public Library and the Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit are inviting residents to join Health Unit dietitians for a free, one-hour interactive and engaging workshop to discuss: strategies for cutting grocery bills without compromising taste or nutrition; how to interpret the Nutrition Facts Table and nutrition content claims on food items; and meal planning tips using pantry staples.

Upcoming Sessions:

• Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. – Dunnville Library Branch
• Thursday, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. – Jarvis Library Branch

Pre-registration is required and can be done in person at any branch or by calling (289) 674-0400.

Author Visit with Constance e Bryce

Local Haldimand author Constance e Bryce will be sharing her latest book of poetry, It’s Different Now. This latest book, the last in her “Walking Among The Mighty” series, is a poetic commentary on recent political and social issues that have been in the news.

Constance will be at Dunnville Library branch on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6:30 p. m. Everyone is welcome and no registration is required.

Virtual Cooking Class with Chef Rabiya

Chef Rabiya from Rabi’s Grand Kitchen will be hosting a free virtual cooking class, via Zoom, on Monday, Oct. 17 at 6 p.m.  Novice and advanced chefs alike will be treated to step-by-step instructions for unique and delicious beef cutlets. Participants can cook along with Chef Rabi or simply observe and try the recipe later.

Pre-registration is required. Participants can purchase the necessary ingredients from their local grocery store using a list that will be sent one week before the session. To register, visit your local library branch or email kkrupicz@haldimandcounty.on.ca.

Haldimand County Public Library has partnered with Service Canada to offer informative workshops about the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and  Old Age Security (OAS) benefits. With the closest Service Canada offices to Haldimand County being in Hamilton, Simcoe and Welland, this is an excellent opportunity for community members to locally learn about benefits for which they may be eligible upon retirement.

The CPP and OAS workshops are open to all residents at the following County library branches:

• Dunnville branch (317 Chestnut St.) – Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 10 a.m.
• Jarvis branch (2 Monson St.) – Friday, Oct. 7 at 2 p.m.
• Cayuga Library and Heritage Centre (19 Talbot St.) – Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6 p.m.

The program will be offered in a live webinar format with a Service Canada representative joining participants in the library via Zoom. Participants will be able to ask questions and participate in discussions facilitated by library staff during and after the presentation. Pre-registration for these programs is recommended but not required.

For more information about public pensions, including the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security pensions, or related benefits and services, visit Canada.ca or call 1-800-O-Canada.

The Caledonia Agricultural Board and the Haldimand County Public Library have partnered to ensure more local children get to experience the fun of this year’s Caledonia Fair on Friday, September 30.

Children entering kindergarten to grade 8 can come into any Haldimand County Public Library branch throughout the month of August, sign out books and receive one free pass to the 2022 Caledonia Fair. Available while supplies last.

In addition to picking up a free Fair Pass, children aged 12 and under can register for the Summer Junior Reading Club and teens aged 13 to 18 can sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Club. Participants in both clubs will receive a ballot for every library book they read throughout the summer, entering them into draws for a chance to win cash and other prizes. Draw dates are posted at each branch. In addition to the cash prize draws, Junior Reading Club participants will also get to choose a special prize from the library treasure chest for every 15 library books they read.

Starting Tuesday, June 21, registration for Haldimand County Public Library’s summer programs opens at all six Haldimand Library branches. This year’s theme is “Once Upon a Time; Myths and Legends,” and offers a magical summer of fun with parties, Storytimes, crafts and more.

The programs are open to children aged 3-12, with in-person registration required. Program dates, times and costs are available at local branches and on the Library’s website.

In addition to the registered programs, the Library is also offering free summer reading clubs for children and teens. Children aged 12 and under can register for the Junior Reading Club while teens 13-18 can sign up for the Teen Summer Reading Club.

Participants in both clubs will receive a ballot for every library book they read throughout the summer, entering them into draws for a chance to win cash and other prizes. Draw dates can be found at each branch. In addition to the draws, Junior Reading Club participants will also get to choose a special prize from the library treasure chest for every 15 library books they read.

For more information on summer programs and clubs, visit the Haldimand County Public Library website.