OPL 130: Celebrating a Legacy of Connection, Storytelling, and Discovery
In 2025, Oakville Public Library proudly marks its 130th anniversary!
This milestone is more than a number – it’s a celebration of over a century of stories, learning, and community connection. Since 1895, OPL has been a cornerstone of Oakville’s cultural and intellectual life, evolving alongside the town and its people.
This October, we invite you to join us in honouring OPL’s legacy and looking ahead to its future. Through a three-week celebration filled with engaging activities, themed programming, and special events, we’ll reflect on the library’s journey and the many ways it continues to inspire discovery and connection.
How to celebrate with us
Whether you're a lifelong library lover or a new cardholder, there are many ways to join the celebration:
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Attend the Anniversary Kick-Off Event
Hear remarks from Mayor Rob Burton, Councillor Jeff Knoll, OPL Board Chair, and CEO Tara Wong. Light refreshments will be served.
Wednesday, October 1 | 11am - 12pm | Glen Abbey Branch
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Visit your local branch and attend a program
Discover themed programming and interactive displays designed to spark curiosity and connection. Visit opl.ca/October2025 to see what's coming up this month.
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Join OPL's marquee fundraising event, BookTalk, Live!
Step into an evening of literary discovery as publishing insiders share their top book picks, trending titles, and hidden gems from Canada's most distinctive presses. Tickets are on sale now and proceeds generated from this event will support older adult programming at Oakville Public Library, to help provide enriching, inclusive, and engaging experiences for our senior community.
Wednesday, October 22 | 7pm - 9pm | Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts
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Join a time-travelling Family Storytime
Each storytime will highlight a different era in OPL’s history, featuring stories, songs, crafts, and fun historical tidbits that show how childhood and libraries have changed over time. Designed for children ages 2–6 and their caregivers, these sessions also showcase historical Oakville artifacts generously lent to us by the Oakville Museum! View all upcoming Storytime dates here.
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Get a glimpse of the future
Learn about the upcoming Sixteen Mile Branch, a new chapter in OPL’s story - coming in 2026.
OPL Fun Facts Throughout the Years
View a complete historical timeline of OPL here.
1968 - 1969: OPL Goes High-Tech (for the time!)
OPL got a CP Teletype machine to send and receive interlibrary loan requests. It looked like a typewriter and worked over phone lines! Today, you can place your own interlibrary loan requests online in minutes.
1970s: OPL offers Theatre Trips
Central Branch offered bus trips to Stratford and Shaw Festivals, giving customers access to live performances like As You Like It and The Millionairess. Tickets included travel and orchestra seats, all for under $15.
1973: OPL Hosted Police Week
During Police Week, an Oakville officer made a stylish visit to one of OPL’s branches! A photo from the event appeared in a 1995 local newspaper with the caption: “Cruising the Library in Style.” Back in 1973, browsing OPL’s collection meant visiting the library in-person. Online access was only available through a dial-up service introduced in the 1980s.
1983: BYTE SIZE - Tech Help Before the World Wide Web
If you needed computer help in the 80s, OPL had you covered with BYTE SIZE, a computer centre at Trafalgar Village (125 Cross Ave)! Customers could use computers, get help from staff, and even rent a TEO microcomputer in a briefcase to take home.
1983: Central Branch Expansion Begins
When plans for expanding the Central Branch were announced, OPL staff got creative and held their own humorous groundbreaking ceremony. The new addition opened in 1984, and everyone was invited to celebrate!
1988: Murder Mystery at the Library
Library staff took centre stage with Beyond the Grave, a murder mystery play where the audience helped solve the crime. Set in 1952, the show featured a tough detective, a murdered socialite, and plenty of twists!
1989: Smaug Takes Over the Santa Claus Parade!
OPL wowed the crowd with their version of Smaug the Magnificent from The Hobbit. With at least eight staff members bringing the dragon to life and a wizard keeping the tail aloft, Smaug made a fiery impression!
1958 - 1996: Bookmobile on the Move!
Before digital downloads, OPL’s Bookmobile delivered stories on wheels! The service began in 1958, when Oakville was surrounded by separate communities like Bronte and Trafalgar, which had their own library boards until amalgamation in 1962. The Bookmobile helped connect these areas, bringing books to neighbourhoods across and beyond Oakville. Bookmobile services ran from 1958 to 1984, resumed in 1990, and continued until 1996.