Welcome to the Greater Madawaska Public Library and Learning Centre.

We are located in St. Joseph's Catholic School at 12629 Lanark Road in the village of Calabogie.

The library was founded in 1978 as the Bagot & Blythfield Public Library by four people dedicated to literacy. Since then, the library has evolved. As amalgamations occurred, we became the Bagot, Blythfield & Brougham Public Library and then, in 2001, the Greater Madawaska Public Library. Today, we deliver accessible programs and services focused on literacy and learning as the Greater Madawaska Public Library and Learning Centre.

Resources available to check out include:

  • adult and youth fiction and nonfiction books
  • children’s fiction and nonfiction books
  • audio books
  • large print books
  • eBooks using Overdrive's Libby App (Overdrive is sunsetting the original Overdrive app. Users are urged to switch to Libby. Details, here.)
  • magazines
  • DVDs
  • DAISY reader
  • Ottawa museum passes 
  • Ontario Provincial Park passes

Services, Programs, and Partnerships

Libraries are important for healthy communities. The library is a safe gathering place, where everyone is welcome. Special interest groups, writers, readers, artists, families, students, job-seekers all use this space to expand their knowledge and grow their experience by exploring new ideas. The library is also a comfortable space in which to become immersed in a wonderful story.

We are a valuable resource in the community. We partner with agencies and groups to initiate activities or events that support residents of all ages. Partnerships enhance service delivery and outreach by offering access to a wider range of resources than is possible for a small community to support on its own.

We are committed to delivering high quality service to our patrons— permanent and seasonal—in a timely and friendly manner.

Services offered:

  • free Wi-Fi in the library
  • inter-library loans (ILL- this service gives you access to books across Ontario)
  • public access computers
  • printing services (i.e., Hunting licenses, Covid vaccination proofs, shipping labels, forms)

Our Partners

  • Calabogie Food Bank
    • Donation location and joint fund raising
  • County of Renfrew
  • Renfrew County and District Health Unit
    • Nurse visits to our location discussing child development and answering questions, or concerns parents may have. (Status: SUSPENDED)
  • St. Joseph's Catholic School
    • Partners yearly in a province-wide reading program, “The Forest of Reading”, sponsored by the Ontario Library Association. This program improves reading levels among children.
    • Weekend Reader Bags go home with students to promote independent reading and encourage literacy at home.
    • Classes visit the library on Wednesdays; students select and check out materials to take back to their classrooms.
  • OV-CAOS 
    • We have enjoyed being able to participate in the OV-CAOS 2021 community library book art project. Completed book art project submissions will join others from across the Ottawa Valley in a single book art display. This display will visit many communities across the Ottawa Valley in the next three years. OV-CAOS oversees many different community art projects across the Ottawa Valley, and we hope to participate again in future.
    • In 2023, OV-CAOS delivered an in-library workshop for creatives aged 12+ called "Miniature Worlds"

Many programs are dependent on volunteers coming forward to contribute their skills and time in running the activities.

Interested in volunteering? Contact the Library

Interested in funding future programming? Check out our Donations link at the top of the page. 

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Annual Reports
Contact and Hours
Library Board Meetings

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