News and Updates

You can search the Cambridge Public Library’s catalogue on our website or through a mobile app - anywhere and anytime. To help, we want to share some tips for making the most of the online library catalogue and app:

It's always a great time to visit Cambridge Public Library. With five locations throughout Cambridge, each location opens doors to unique experiences and inspiring collections. These spaces are filled with art, books, games, technology, musical instruments, greenspaces, and more – truly something for every interest or inspiring your goals.

Have you wanted to let out your inner rock star or is learning to play a new instrument on your life goals list? If so, Cambridge Public Library is here to help you strike a chord. 

Ryan and Dani are both newer additions to the Youth Services team, beginning in the last year. As Teen Services Librarian at Clemens Mill, Ryan primarily serves the school community at St. Benedict Catholic Secondary School in a unique partnership with the Waterloo Region Catholic School BoardDani considers her position as Youth Services Librarian in Cambridge a dream come true and it gives her the chance to inspire youth at all our locations. They are both passionate about making the library an accessible and engaging space.

The Cambridge Public Library Board and staff announced this week that a new chapter will begin for the organization. We will move from using the name Idea Exchange to Cambridge Public Library.

If you want to browse the collections, place holds, and manage your library account on a mobile device, Idea Exchange has an app for that!The new app offers convenient on-the-go access to searching library collections, placing holds, tracking your borrowing, viewing our location hours and services, and more. Make your Idea Exchange experience more seamless and accessible every day, wherever you go.

You will find Chris and Leah in the Fiction area of our Queen’s Square location, always ready to help you find your next great read and other library items to borrow. Chris began as a Member Services, Casual employee in 2022, and soon became a permanent member of the Information Services and Interlibrary Loan teams. 

“Through collections, programs and events, services, makerspaces and art galleries, we are honoured to facilitate access to the ideas and stories of the world, and help each of you write your own. And as we see it, we’re not creating history, we’re forging our future. A future for all.” – Chrissy Hodgins, CEO

Cambridge Public Library (formerly Idea Exchange) has received national recognition with two library awards: the 2023 TD Summer Reading Club Accessibility Award from the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) and a 2023 TD Summer Reading Club Library Award (Second, English), sponsored by TD Bank Group. The awards were presented at the Saskatchewan Libraries Conference on Thursday, May 3.

In 2023, we celebrated anniversaries at two of our locations; the 100 years of the Carnegie Library Building in Hespeler and 5 years of discovery at the Old Post Office, created an award winning Multi-Sensory Room pilot project at Clemens Mill, conducted a community survey for our 2024-2027 Strategic Pl