History

Indigenous Land and Territorial Acknowledgement

We respectfully acknowledge that Trent Lakes and Peterborough County are located on the Treaty 20 Mississauga territory and in the traditional territory of the Mississauga and Chippewa Nations, collectively known as the Williams Treaties First Nations. which include: Alderville, Beausoleil, Curve Lake, Georgina Island, Hiawatha, Rama and Scugog Island First Nations.

Trent Lakes respectfully acknowledges that the Williams Treaties First Nations are the stewards and caretakers of these lands and waters in perpetuity, and that they continue to maintain this responsibility to ensure their health and integrity for generations to come.

Buckhorn Branch

In the late summer of 1978, a group of concerned citizens felt there was a need for library services in the Buckhorn area. At the time, Harvey Township did not have a by-law enabling a library board to be established. This group of 25 citizens circulated a petition throughout the area that read: "Would you be in favour of and use a library if established in this area?" Within two weeks, the petition had over 500 signatures.
The founding mothers and fathers of our library were Devon Manley, Jean Detlor, Grace Selvage, and Glenna Rome. In the beginning, most of the books were donated and were housed in the Community Centre.

The library was established in 1978 and first opened its doors to the public in 1979 in the Wintario Room of the Community Centre. The collection was made up of a few hundred books, mainly donations, and was staffed by 20 volunteers. The room could hold a maximum of 3000 books.

By 1983, circulation was up to 2500 books, and the library held 6 children's programs with over 90 children attending. In 1985, the Main Library, growing and expanding, moved to its present location in Buckhorn, in a turn-of-the-century, two-room schoolhouse. By this time, a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other library staff had been hired. The 20 volunteers had grown to 30.

In 1994, after a three-month closure due to construction, the Buckhorn Library re-opened its doors into a newly expanded and enlarged building. The new and the old were blended beautifully. The cost of the expansion was $260,000. The Province of Ontario contributed $60,000 through a grant, and the remainder was raised locally by hard-working volunteers.

In the 1990s, the Buckhorn Library merged with the Cavendish Library. The two libraries were formally combined, allowing them to share a common database of materials and memberships.

In 2004, a ceremony was held in Toronto to mark the Trent Lake Library's first full accreditation, signifying that it met the Library Standards and Guidelines established for libraries in Ontario.

picture of buckhorn library as schoolhouse with children in front of it

pictures of buckhorn library as school house in winter

outside picture of buckhorn library when it first became a library

Cavendish Branch

The Helen Bowen library (Cavendish library) started lending books out to the community on November 5, 1986; when it was little more than a cart on wheels that would be set up in the Fire Hall by volunteers once a week. Shortly after, on February 7, 1987, the Branch was officially opened with a ribbon cutting ceremony. It would not have been possible without the fundraising efforts, generous donations and determination of the members of the community. Since then, the number of books in our collection as well as the number of patrons has continued to grow.

The Cavendish Library is proud to serve the community of local residents and cottagers throughout the year. Through various fundraising initiatives, donations and other community functions, the Cavendish branch is able to offer a variety of lending materials such as books, DVDs, Children's Literature and reference materials. The library also offers children's reading programs and other activities that foster an interest in literature at a young age. Since its opening, the Helen Bowen branch has become an important hub for the community, a place to socialize as well as catch up on the newest releases in film and literature.

The combined libraries of Trent Lakes Public Library have in excess of 20,000 books, and the collection is always growing. Over the years, these thousands of books, magazines and DVDs have brought knowledge and entertainment to residents and visitors of Buckhorn and Trent Lakes.