Special reception commemorates six decades of service, access and community at Oxford County Library

Special reception commemorates six decades of service, access and community at Oxford County Library

Oxford County Library (OCL) is hosting a reception on Saturday, September 20, to recognize the County library system’s 60th anniversary.

Remembering When: Celebrating Our First 60 Years
Drop in: Saturday, September 20, 2025, 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m.
Formal presentations start at noon
Oxford County Library, Ingersoll branch - 130 Oxford St, Ingersoll

This special reception features stories, displays and exhibits showcasing the history of county library services in Oxford. In 1965, after changes were made to the Public Libraries Act a few years before, Oxford County Library became the second county library to form in Ontario.

Today, OCL serves seven of the area municipalities that make up Oxford County, with branches located in Brownsville, Burgessville, Embro, Harrington, Ingersoll, Innerkip, Mount Elgin, Norwich, Otterville, Plattsville, Princeton, Tavistock, Thamesford and Tillsonburg. 

Each branch is a welcoming and inclusive space, providing resources to learn about community clubs, organizations, and events. Local branches offer programs and activities for everyone, from toddlers to seniors. 

For more information, please visit history.ocl.net

Quick facts 

• The first library in Oxford County opened in 1835 in Woodstock. Ingersoll established its first library in 1855 inside a local school.
  
• The Oxford County Library Cooperative started an annual "Book Review Contest" for students in grades 7 and 8 in 1958. This is the earliest evidence on record of county-wide library programming. 
  
• Oxford County Library started in 1965 with 16 branches (Beachville, Brownsville, Burgessville, Drumbo, Embro, Harrington, Hickson, Innerkip, Kintore, Mount Elgin, Norwich, Otterville, Plattsville, Princeton, Tavistock and Thamesford) and seven deposit stations (Bright, Brooksdale, Dereham, Salford, Springford, Sweaburg, and Uniondale). In 1969, Ingersoll joined the Oxford County Library system, followed by Tillsonburg in 2013.
  
• The OCL bookmobile started serving county classrooms in 1966 and remained in operation until the 1980’s. In 1969, an article in the Ottawa Citizen reported that OCL's bookmobile visits 252 classrooms every three weeks, reaching 11,900 students in public and Catholic schools across the county. This article appeared in newspapers across the province and continued to run in newspapers well into 1970, even in papers as far away as the Regina (SK) Leader-Post. 
  
• The bookmobile service has since returned with Ox on the Run. The mobile library project brings library programs and services on the road and directly to the residents of Oxford County. Services include access to Wi-Fi, help with library resources, library card registration, storytimes, crafts, and activities for all ages.
  
• Oxford County Library started to fully automate its systems and distributing library cards with barcodes in the early 1990’s. By 1998, all OCL branches had high-speed internet.
  
  

Other anniversary year events

• Oxford County Archives and Oxford County Library exhibits in the Oxford County Administration Building: The Archives will showcase four displays throughout 2025, highlighting the history of the county, promoting the Archives’ holdings, programs, and services, sharing stories from the new anniversary book, and highlighting the history of the Oxford County Library system. More.
  
• Oxford County Celebrating 175 Years Exhibit: The Oxford County: Celebrating 175 Years exhibit is currently on display at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Oxford County Archives and Oxford County Library submitted the exhibit as part of the Legislative Assembly Community Exhibits Program. More.
• Local History Speaker Series (Growing Stronger Together): Oxford County Archivist Liz Dommasch led a fascinating discussion about Oxford County’s past and provided a sneak peek of the new publication commemorating Oxford County’s 175th anniversary since incorporation. Growing Stronger Together: A Celebration of Oxford County’s Past was held on Saturday, May 31, 2025, inside the Ingersoll Town Centre. More.
  
• Local History Speaker Series (Twice a Pioneer): Local history specialist Dr. Matthew Griffis hosted the Twice a Pioneer: A History of Oxford County Library Services on Saturday, July 19, 2025, at the Tillsonburg branch of the Oxford County Library. The presentation featured archival images and other historical items that the public had not seen in over 60 years. More.
  
• Oxford County Library Memory Wall - This virtual scrapbook invites stories, photos and other creative expressions of people’s memories of County library branches over the years. Visit the wall at www.ocl.net/memory-wall.
  
• Anniversary video - A short video that celebrates Oxford County Library’s anniversary, “The Oxford County Library at 60: Foundations and Future,” recalls the origins of one of Ontario’s first county libraries and highlights the programs and services offered by OCL. Watch the video on the Oxford County Library YouTube page. 
  
  

• Oxford County Anniversary Year: Oxford County is celebrating several milestones in 2025, including the 175th anniversary of the incorporation of Oxford County as a county; the 50th anniversary of the restructuring of Oxford County into its eight area municipalities; the 60th anniversary of the Oxford County Library system; and the 25th anniversary of Oxford County Archives. Find more information on the Oxford County Anniversary Year page on Speak Up, Oxford! at www.speakup.oxfordcounty.ca/anniversary