By Gazette Staff
November 12th, 2025
BURLINGTON, ON
Burlington Public Library (BPL) has launched its new strategic plan. The two-year plan will guide the library’s work to strengthen community connection, learning, and civic engagement.
Lita Barrie, BPL’s Chief Executive Officer being interviewed during the opening of the New Appleby branch.
“We’re focusing on the ways the library can bring people together,” says Lita Barrie, BPL’s Chief Executive Officer. “We believe in the power of connection, especially among people who wouldn’t otherwise cross paths. This plan responds to challenges like polarization, isolation and affordability, to create a more connected community.”
The plan builds on the mission, vision, and priorities in BPL’s current 2021-2025 strategic plan, which was developed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Under BPL’s previous plan, the library accomplished major milestones such as eliminating daily late fines and relocating New Appleby Branch to the Robert Bateman Community Centre.
“Our mission continues to be inspiring imagination, collaboration, and compassion to support an informed and literate society,” says Jason Manayathu, Chair of the BPL Board. “We’ve made great progress in the past four years and want to continue in that direction with renewed focus that reflects the needs of the community now and in the future.”
Library staff surveyed the community for input and reviewed more than 500 comments on the draft plan. Customer service, borrowing, and innovation remain key goals. Library users can also anticipate benefits such as new programs, better connections to community services, improvements to multi-use spaces, and an updated range of Maker services for do-it-yourself projects.
Three Community-Centred Priorities
The Strategic Plan 2026-2027 sets out three priorities to help bring Burlington together.
Priority 1: Enhance community well-being by helping people feel connected, accepted, and empowered to achieve their goals. Customers will find more ways to connect—with people, resources, local events, and opportunities—through programs and spaces that bring neighbours together. The library will foster belonging by reaching out into the community, connecting with partners, and making it easier to access drop-in support and community resources.
Priority 2: Inspire discovery with collections, services, and spaces that reflect our evolving community. Visitors will find adapted spaces that fit how they want to use the library, with accessible signage and defined zones for study, collaboration, leisure, and play. Fresh reading suggestions will make waiting for popular titles more rewarding, and a diverse range of Maker services will open new doors to creativity, experimentation, and skill-building.
Priority 3: Nurture a workforce culture driven by our organizational values. Each visit to the library will feel more engaging, consistent, and welcoming as staff focus on meaningful connections. Behind the scenes, improved workflows and thoughtful innovation will help staff provide responsive service to everyone who walks through the doors.
Learn more and explore the plan at bpl.on.ca.
The opening of a new branch of the library was flawless.
An observation: Getting responses from 500 people is something few organizations in Burlington receive. This attests to the strong bond between the library and the people that use the service.
Picture below tells just how active the place is.
Books waiting to be picked up.
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Bateman branch is great. We are lucky to live in Burlington. Lots of parking on the weekends.
The only problem with the Appleby library is lack of parking due to 200 students from Brock University.