Thank you to everyone who submitted photos to our first Nature Photography Contest! Presented in partnership with Ontario’s West Coast, we received over 50 entries of some stunning nature shots taken this winter from across Huron County. Needless to say, choosing a winner was challenging, but we appreciate local photographer, Conrad Kuiper, who joined our jury to help select the winner and two runners-up.

And the winner is…

Lake Huron sunset, by photographer Bob Nieboer. Bob shot this sunset earlier this month on a calm evening at St. Christopher’s Beach in Goderich. Bob has won a 16×20 framed and matted print of this photograph printed by 519 Prints & Frames.

Runner-up…

Snow Buntings taking flight by Deborah Johnston. Deborah captured this flock just north of Goderich on Kerry’s Line. She has won a 8×10 framed and matted print of this photograph printed by 519 Prints & Frames.

Runner-up…

And congratulations to Elizabeth Allan, who captured this female cardinal who visited the crab apple tree in her front yard. She has also won a 8×10 framed and matted print of this photograph printed by 519 Prints & Frames.

Honourable Mentions

Please be advised that, due to a planned system outage, access to our online catalogue and some of our digital resources will be interrupted this Saturday, Feb. 19. Our library service provider expects services to be restored once their scheduled server migration is completed Saturday evening, but work will continue into Sunday, Feb. 20, should any issues arise. 

• Huron County Library branches will remain open to patrons on Saturday, Feb. 19. Curbside and in-branch services will both be available.
• Library staff will have limited system access and will be able to check materials out, however, they will be unable to place holds, renew items, check patron accounts or search the catalogue while the server is down.
• While all book drops will remain open, staff will not be able to check in any returns until our system is back online. Please note that all branches will be closed on Family Day, Monday, Feb. 21, so check-ins will be processed when branches re-open on Tuesday, Feb. 22. Due dates will be extended to accommodate the outage.
• Basic search functionality in our online catalogue may still be available, but patrons will be unable to place holds, renew items, check their account, etc.
• Any resource that requires you to log in with a library card number will be unavailable. Online resources such as Hoopla, cloudlibrary and Kanopy will be unavailable throughout the planned outage, but materials downloaded ahead of the planned outage should continue to be available.

We apologize in advance for any inconveniece and welcome you to reach out to your local branch should you have any questions.

The Huron County Library is pleased to announce that all 12 library branches will begin re-opening for limited in-branch services starting the week of Feb. 14.

Limited services include scheduled computer appointments, inside browsing and holds pick-ups, and space bookings. Given the unique design of each library space and the ever-evolving nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, patrons are encouraged to contact their local branch to confirm hours and available services. For those of you not yet comfortable with visiting us indoors, curbside services will continue to be available at all branches.

In following the advice of local public health authorities, the Huron County Library continues to make every effort to ensure visits to each branch are safe and enjoyable for everyone. As a result, we ask that you review the following information before visiting:

• To accommodate physical distancing, the number of people allowed in each branch is limited. Once capacity has been reached, you may be asked to wait outside before you can enter the branch.
• According to Huron Perth Public Health guidelines, both staff and patrons are asked to wear a face covering at all times, even if fully vaccinated. Masks will be made available for those who may not have one.
• The hours and services at each branch do vary and are subject to change based on County of Huron, Huron Perth Public Health, and Provincial advisement. Changes to staffing levels could also impact available services, so please visit HuronCountyLibrary.ca or follow Huron County Library on Facebook for the most up-to-date information on our hours and services.
• If you are feeling unwell, we kindly ask that you visit us at another time.

For those of you who are unable to access your local branch at this time, a wide variety of online services continue to be available through the Huron County Library website. Gain online access to movies, e-books, audiobooks, magazines, music, genealogy resources, and more for free with your library card. If you need help with renewing your library card or getting set up with a new card, please contact your local branch or visit our website for full membership details.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact your local branch or email libraryadmin@huroncounty.ca.

When life gets busy, the Huron County Library knows that renewing library items can easily be forgotten. So we are very pleased to announce that, in addition to eliminating overdue fines, we are also implementing an automatic renewal system that will now take care of renewing items for you!

Starting Feb. 7, eligible items will be automatically renewed on their due date up to two times. Email notifications will be sent to let you know which items have been automatically renewed so you can enjoy them a little longer. A new due date will be listed with each renewed item.

Items not eligible for automatic renewals include:

• Items that have reached their maximum renewals (items renewed up to two times)
• Items on hold for another patron
• Book Club Sets
• Items borrowed through Interlibrary Loan
• Internet Hubs
• Passes for parks, pools, recreation, etc.
• Special collection items, such as e-readers and Launchpads

To keep track of due dates for all of your checkouts, log into your account online or contact staff at your local branch. Even if items renew automatically, you can always return them to a branch near you at any time before their due date.

What happens if items are not returned after the automatic renewal period?

• Accounts will be blocked when an item is 3 weeks overdue and patrons will be unable to borrow library materials or access online resources with their Huron County Library card. Items can be returned at anytime to unblock an account.
• Items that have been overdue for over 2 months are assumed lost, and the patron will be billed for the replacement costs. Charges are removed if the item is returned undamaged.
• Any patron with bills over $10 for overdue Interlibrary Loan materials, damaged or lost items, will have their accounts blocked.
• Any patron who has 20 or more overdue items will be immediately blocked.

If you have any questions, please email libraryadmin@huroncounty.ca or speak with your local branch staff.