By Kathy McGrath
After an 18-month closure, the Port Union Library has reopened with a new leader at the helm. With more than 30 years of experience under her belt, Susan Farmer is looking forward to welcoming back library customers, particularly the tiniest ones.
“I can’t wait to do a baby-time program – I miss those babies,” Susan said. She has worked in the Toronto Public Library system since the age of 15, doing everything from shelving to customer service to administration. Of all her roles at TPL, she enjoys conducting children’s programming the most, often with the help of some furry friends.
Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, all programs are currently online and customers will have to wait until at least the end of the year for in-person programming. They can, however, take out books in the branch, pick up holds, book a computer or access library wifi with their own devices.
While Susan’s official start date was in May, her first day inside the branch wasn’t until July. “The first thing we had to do was clear a backlog of 80 or 90 delivery boxes,” she recalled. “I didn’t know where I was going to put it all.”
Susan’s space problem was compounded by the fact that Port Union customers are avid readers. “The collection here circulates really well, so it’s hard to discard things when they are being used,” she said.
Fortunately, streamlining and organizing are Susan’s forté so she feels confident she will be able to whip things into shape. She wants to put customer holds at the front of the branch so people can easily pop in and grab their items. The large print collection will also be moved closer to the front to make it more accessible.
“I’m not afraid to make changes,” Susan said. “If something seems to make sense, I’ll try it. It can be moved back if it doesn’t work.”
In terms of larger goals, Susan would like to set up some teen outreach and programming, maybe even create a teen zone, since Mowat Collegiate is right next door.
Residents can already make use of a popular new feature at the branch: mobile printing. Customers can send their print jobs from their home computers or mobile devices and pick the papers up at the library.
Susan feels fortunate to be supported by a wonderful team of staff at the library and also by the helpful employees at the community centre, which shares the building on Lawrence Ave.
While she commutes daily from East York, Susan is familiar with the Centennial neighbourhood through her sister who lives in the community. She has even brought her 9-year-old son to use our local skate park. Now she looks forward to being an active member of Centennial herself.
Her message to local residents is simple: “Come on back to the branch! I’d love to meet everyone.”