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The love of books, a family affair: Dawn Kiddell FRANCIS RACINE francis.racine@eap.on.ca
The Cornwall Library is also home to one of the only bilingual collection in the sur- rounding areas. “One quarter of our col- lection is French,” explained Kiddell. “It’s all about the local population.” The chief executive officer also explained that, although librar- ies might seem cliché and old fashioned, Cornwall’s institution is actively trying to update. “We’re offer- ing a lot of DVD’s,”she said. “Where else can you get them? We’re also really big on the E-books. One thing we’re trying to bring is digital music, there’s a big demand for that. We’re still working on that.” Even though the younger generations are embracing the newer technology, it is still the library’s print collection that gets most of the attention.“What’s really big right now are our fiction books,” Kiddell said. “Espe- cially young adult fiction, they seem to be flying off the shelves.” The woman explained that it’s the staff that makes the environment of the institu- tion what it is; incredible. “There’s a woman who worked for us for over 30 years,”she ex- plained with a smile. “Once she retired, she said the one thing she truly missed was the learning. You learn every day, every time someone asks you a specific question, you must know the answer.” When asked what she considers the big- gest obstacle she faces on a daily basis, Kid- dell pondered for a moment, before men- tioning “the budget.” “It’s always hard to have to give so much with one set amount,” she admitted. “In all, we have 35 people working for us at the library. If there isn’t funding, we can’t make activities happen.” The Cornwall library offers around 700 programs yearly, most of them free. Last of Pitt Street, between First and Third Street. McLaren sent a temporary street closure ap- plication form to city council back in Janu- ary, requesting the closure of Pitt Street. It was learned on February 21, that the report had been well received by the many city de- partments. SeawayWinter Food Festival Fans of food should rejoice, as success- ful food festival, which served hundreds of plates last summer, will be coming back, this time in early March. The event, which begins on March 3 and finishes on March 7, will feature 10 local restaurants:. Further information is available at www.swff.ca
year, an astounding 10,700 residents participated in the said programs. In her role as chief executive officer, Kiddell oversees
much of the library’s administration, politics and finances. “You really have to have leadership quali- ties,” she expressed before ut- tering a light laugh. So what is the library’s executive officer’s favor- ite book? “I get asked that so many times,” Kiddell an- swered, again laughing. “I’d have to say Canadian literature fiction, but I sure can’t say no to a good mystery book.”
Hidden, deep inside the library is an of- fice, which, although filled with book- shelves containing countless binders and countless paper work, is still spotless and thoroughly organized. Sitting behind her sturdy lightly colored desk, Dawn Kiddell, chief executive officer, has quite a lengthy resume, as well as education. Having obtained first a journalism di- ploma at Concordia University, a bachelor from McGill University and finally a Masters in Library and Information studies, it’s no wonder Kiddell has become what she calls the link between the local institution and provincial and federal library organizations. But the love of books didn’t simply hap- pen overnight. It actually is a family thing, as Kiddell’s own mother, aged 79, was and still is a librarian. “My interest in libraries started when I was in high school,” she ad- mitted. “I was what you call a page, more commonly known as a shelver.” Originally from Edmonton, the chief exec- utive officer resided in Montreal for 10 years before settling down with her husband in Lancaster. “We both travel to our jobs every day,” she explained with a smile. “My hus- band still works in Montreal.” Kiddell also mentioned how passionate she is about the community based pub- lic library. “After I graduated, I was debat- ing which kind of library to join,” she said. “I didn’t want to do school library or law library. I simply love the non-profit side of public libraries.” She stressed the importance that the said institutions bring to their community.“They contribute to society,” she says. “There’s al- ways something for everyone. For example, here, we have around 148 000 books. We always try to have a 3 to 1 population ratio.” What’s better than enjoying copious amounts of well-prepared and delicious foods? Supporting the Beyond 21 Foun- dation of course! The organization, which supports developmentally challenged young adults in the Cornwall and sur- rounding areas, is planning to host the “Cornwall Food Fest”, a fundraising event organized with the support and partner- ship of the Downtown Business Improve- ment Association as well as Your Arts Council. The event would, according to a letter sent to council by Jane McLaren, program manager with Beyond 21 , bring food trucks, artists and crafters into the downtown core
“My interest in libraries started when I was in high school,” she admitted. “I was what you call a page, more commonly known as a shelver.”
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More than 50 exhibitors offering a wide selection of products and ser- vices targeted especially for women will be taking over the Civic Complex on March 8, during Cornwall’s Interna- tional Women’s Day show. “We are thrilled to be back” says Julia Lucio, coordinator for this event. “We have so many things lined up for this year’s show and are really proud to have gotten back to our roots. We decided to look inwards when it came to selecting a guest speaker this year.” Everything from beauty to fashion and from health to finances will be covered.
Ladies will be able to get a massage, have their tarot cards read and get beau- ty tips. Many guest speakers are lined up and will cover topics such as “re-estab- lishing your credit” or “re-integrating the workforce after childbirth.” “We decided not to give the (prize) bags to the first ladies visiting because it doesn’t seem fair to people coming later in the day, who pay the same entrance fee,” said Lucio. “The show is from 10 to 4 on a Sunday so we want to give ladies who go to church the same opportunity to grab a bag as any other.”
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