Highlights for January 2026
2-Day Book Sale
Thursday, January 15, 2-7:30pm
Friday, January 16, 10am-4pm
In the Auditorium
 
Start your new year off with 2 days of book shopping in January!  Drop in to browse and buy nearly new, used, paperbacks, fiction, non-fiction, young adult, children’s books, DVDs and specially priced items available! 
 
Cash, debit and credit cards accepted. Please help out by bringing your own shopping bag.
Family Literacy Day
Saturday, January 24
10:00-11:30 am
 
Families with children ages 0-6 are invited to join us for our annual Family Literacy Day Celebration. Come for crafts, circle time, and other fun activities all about construction and building. This event is free but tickets are required for each person attending.
 
Tickets will be available in Youth Services beginning Monday, January 5. 
Children's Winter Reading Challenge
This January and February, students in Grades K-8 are invited to complete our reading challenges and be entered into a prize draw! Pick up your Children's Reading Challenge brochure in Youth Services starting January 2.
 
Be sure to also check out our fun colouring contest featuring Yvonne, our new Youth Services mascot. 
Adult Winter Reading Challenge
January 1 to March 31
 
Bookmarks available at the end of December. Grab a bookmark and complete all of the challenges by the end of March. Every book read receives a ballot for the end of March draw. Complete all 10 challenges and receive 2 extra ballots! Happy reading!
Owen Sound Mini Con: Call for Artist's Alley Exhibitors
We’re looking for artists to showcase their work at the 2026 Owen Sound Mini Con.
 
If you’re an artist who creates comics or fandom related content, we’d like to invite you to join us!
Complete the Exhibitor Application form and submit it for consideration by April 3.
Grey Bruce Youth Film Festival: Call for Submissions
Deadline: Friday, May 8, 2026
 
Attention young filmmakers! The libraries of Bruce and Grey counties want your films for the Grey Bruce Youth Film Festival. Short animated or live action films of a maximum of 10 minutes in length from students in grades 7 through 12 are eligible.
 
Interested teens can pick up an application form from their public library or email kmcleish@library.osngupl.ca for more information.
On display until January 31
 
The Library is pleased to welcome AJ Lawrence and his photography collection to the Community Art Exhibit.
 
AJ Lawrence is a local photographer inspired by the quiet beauty of local landscapes and public places, and the subtle stories of the natural world.
Community Art Exhibit: AJ Lawrence
Community Art Application
Waste Watchers Recycling Drop-Off
Drop off the following items at the Library to be picked up by members of Waste Watchers for recycling:
  • Make Up Containers: NO nail polish or aerosols 
  • Old Socks: CLEAN orphan, holey, worn
  • Oral Care Items: CLEAN plastic toothbrushes, paste tubes and flosses
Items can be brought to staff at the Circulation Desk.

Upcoming Events at the Library
For a full listing of all programs coming up at the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library, click on the button below. 

Community Art Exhibit - AJ Lawrence

Thursday, January 1: 10:00 AM - 8:00 PM

 

The library is pleased to welcome AJ Lawrence and his photography collection to the Community Art Exhibit.

AJ Lawrence is a local photographer inspired by the quiet beauty of local landscapes and public places, and the subtle stories of the natural world.

Living with PTSD, ASD, and Auditory Processing Disorder has shaped AJ’s perspective, strengthened his resilience, and enhanced his ability to work independently–qualities he brings to every photographic project.

AJ’s photography will be on display throughout December 2025 and January 2026.

 

 

Event Type: Adults, Children, Teens

More Info

Switch it Up! Drop-in Video Gaming

Monday, January 12: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

For children and teens.

It's time to level up! Join us Monday evenings for some casual video gaming fun. Controllers provided. Sharing is encouraged: up to four players can game at once. Drop-in. 

Event Type: Children, Teens

More Info

Sound Education Series: The Truth is in the Evidence: Best Practices to Ending Chronic Homelessness

Monday, January 12: 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM

Join us for an informative evening session that begins with an overview of homelessness in Grey-Bruce, followed by an introduction to Coordinated Access and how it is currently being implemented across the region. The session will feature success stories from our community, showcasing the progress and impact of local efforts.

Participants will gain insight into the development of a locally driven Coordinated Access System and By-Name List, and learn how these tools are being used to prioritize and support individuals experiencing homelessness. Drawing on evidence from other communities that have successfully adopted this approach, we’ll explore the potential for similar successes in our own region.

Ample time will be provided for questions, discussion, and addressing common misconceptions or stigmas surrounding homelessness and service delivery. This is an opportunity to deepen understanding, foster collaboration, and strengthen our collective response to homelessness.

Open to all: residents, learners, advocates, and anyone curious about creating change

🎙️ Presented by Caitlin Currie (she/her). Caitlin Currie (she/her) is a dedicated system navigator and homelessness advocate who leads Grey County’s coordinated response to homelessness. As the Homelessness Response Supervisor, she oversees the County’s Short Term Shelter Program, encampment response initiatives, and outreach services, ensuring compassionate and effective support for individuals experiencing homelessness.

With over a decade of experience in front-line and leadership roles, Caitlin brings deep expertise and empathy to her work. Her career has been shaped by a commitment to social justice, beginning with her early work in academia and continuing through her role as an anti-oppression educator and advocate. Caitlin’s approach is rooted in equity, collaboration, and a belief in the dignity and resilience of every person.

💡 Expect stories, lived experience, resource sharing, and a space to reflect and grow, together.

No RSVP is required, but clicking “Going” on Facebook helps us prepare—thank you!

Event Type: Adults

More Info

Preschool Storytime

Tuesday, January 13: 10:30 AM - 11:00 AM

Join us for stories, songs, early literacy, and movement! Bring your singing voice as we work together to acquire early literacy skills. Drop-in.

Event Type: Children

More Info

The Creative and Compassionate Art of Seeing Others Deeply with David Brooks

Tuesday, January 13: 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM

Join us for an online discussion with prominent cultural writer and bestselling author David Brooks on his book, How to Know a Person: The Art of Seeing Others Deeply, in which he helps us pose essential questions: If you want to know a person, what kind of attention should you cast on them? What kind of conversations should you have? What parts of a person’s story should you pay attention to?

This is an online event. Click the link below to register.

Event Type: Adults

More Info

Adult Learning Centre
The beginning is always today! ~ Mary Shelley
 
Whether you’d like to boost your everyday math and reading skills or complete credits toward your high school diploma, the ALC is here to help. Come by to chat about your goals and next steps!
Adult Learning Centre
Hours
Mon.             8:30am-4:30pm
Tues.- Fri.    8:30am-5pm
 
Contact:
owensoundlearning@adultlearningcentres.ca
519-376-6623 ext. 2
alcentres.ca
Facebook:   @owensoundalc
Instagram:   @alc_owensound

Announcements from our Open Card partners:
Photo of child's hand hold a paintbrush over top of water colour pots, text reads
Tom Thomson Art Gallery
Gallery Night at the Movies returns January 19!
 
Gallery Night at the Movies is excited to confirm the winter and spring dates  for our 28th Season: January 19, February 9, March 2, March 30, and April 27. Showtimes are 1pm, 4pm and 7pm. Films to be announced soon.
Tom Thomson Art Gallery
Cartoon image of red sunglasses
Marine & Rail Waterfront Museum
Show your support for local heritage by adopting an artifact today!
Pick your favorite artifact at the museum and “adopt” it at the Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum tier.
Email curator@waterfrontheritage.ca to learn more.
Marine & Rail Waterfront Museum
Billy Bishop Museum logo with a paintbrush
Billy Bishop Museum
Virtual Tours
 
Learn about local history on one of hte Billy Bishop Museum's self-guided walking tours. You can check out the Military Heritage Trail, The Greenwood Cemetery Tour, visit the Polish Soldier Tree or walk in the footsteps of local veterans from the first and second World Wars. 
Billy Bishop Museum Events

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Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library
824 1st Ave. W. Owen Sound, ON N4K 4K4
Phone: (519) 376-6623
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