Stratford librarian named Children and Youth Librarian of the Year
Stratford teen outreach and collections librarian Brooke Windsor has been named Children and Youth Librarian of the Year by the Ontario Public Library Association.
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The Stratford librarian responsible for increasing teen engagement in programming at the Stratford Public Library by more than 1,000 per cent last year has been named Children and Youth Librarian of the Year by the Ontario Public Library Association.
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Having worked in libraries for the past decade, Stratford teen outreach and collections librarian Brooke Windsor joined the local library in 2021, and has since introduced numerous and diverse programming aimed at teens.
“It’s huge,” Windsor said of receiving the annual award that honours a youth librarian who has demonstrated exceptional service to children or young adults in public libraries while improving the work experience of their colleagues.
“I’ve been working in library services for about 10 years now in a wide variety of libraries. I’m originally from Tennessee, so I’ve done stuff in the States and here in Ontario. It’s been a very long journey of trial and error, especially working with teenagers, so to just to reach a point where the (Ontario association) says you have done an amazing job working with teens in libraries, it’s just mind blowing.”
Some of her initiatives include after-hours programs like Zombie Survival Night and Nerf nights, city-wide initiatives like Fantastic Beasts and the Stratford Expedition, online and in-person escape rooms, and programming based out of the library’s Makerspace, like Crafting for a Cause and Teen Maker Marketplace.
Last year alone, Windsor was responsible for 157 programs, which saw a total of 5,652 participants representing an increase of more than 1,007 per cent over the previous year. Part of that huge increase in teen engagement, Windsor said, is because she makes a point of being a regular fixture as the library lady at both of Stratford’s high schools.
“I go to the schools all the time. I am there constantly. I say hi to the kids I know in the hallways and … they’re more willing to come out (for library programs) because they like (me) more than any particular program,” she said.
The other piece to her success, Windsor added, is creating programming that puts fun at the forefront, with educational and personal-development components sprinkled in, while being able to learn from and adapt programming that didn’t quite work as planned.
“Working with teenagers is a lot like having naturally curly hair,” Windsor said. “You can do the same thing over and over and over again and have vastly different results, so be prepared for it. It’s all trial and error. One of the things I learned, especially from the after-hours programs here in Stratford, is kids will sometimes show up a couple minutes late and I’ve got to fit them in because I don’t want to turn them away. It’s definitely rolling with the punches and thinking on your toes.”
Windsor will formally receive her award during the Ontario Public Library Association’s Child and Youth Expo this fall alongside Serena McGovern from the Barrie Public Library, who will be presented with the children’s librarian component of the award.
“We are thrilled that Brooke has been recognized for all of her hard work,” Stratford Public Library CEO Krista Robinson said in a press release. “Her passion and dedication to youth in our community is something she demonstrates daily.”
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