The Bracebridge Library has seen a 69 percent jump in active memberships since 2021, with monthly visits now hitting between 18,000 and 20,000 people, according to new survey results shared in June 2026. That is a huge leap from about 1,200 visitors each month five years ago at the old Carnegie building on Manitoba Street.
The figures come from the library’s 2026 community survey, which also found that 89 percent of people who responded gave their experience an Excellent or Good rating. Many pointed to the friendly and knowledgeable staff, with one comment calling them “the nicest staff anywhere.”
The growth follows the October 2024 move to the Coulson Family Bracebridge Library inside the Muskoka Lumber Community Centre. The new space is almost triple the size, expanding from 8,000 to 23,000 square feet, which has allowed for more programs, a bigger collection, a makerspace, and a recording studio. In 2025, the library ran 956 programs with nearly 9,300 attendees, up 222 percent from 2021.
CEO Crystal Bergstrome said the library is already acting on feedback about finding a better balance between quiet reading spots and lively family areas, and on requests for more weekend programs for adults. The library shared these survey findings in its June 2026 results post, stating: “We hear you on wanting a fine-tuned balance for quiet reading areas versus our high-energy family zones. We take note of your requests for creative weekend adult programming.”
The library has also earned provincial attention, including a 2025 Ontario Library Association Library Building Award and the 2026 Media and Communications Award for its community storytelling.
