History of East Gwillimbury Public Library
In 1890, the Queensville Library was formed, although this first location is vague. In 1893 the library opened in a shop owned by Wright Fogg. The Library later moved to a tiny building located across the street from the present day Queensville United Church. In 1898, the Mount Albert Library opened in the back of W.T. Lloyd’s Drug Store. It remained there until 1912 when it moved to an upstairs room in Mr. Allen Theaker’s store. In 1919, it moved again to a south room in the home of Mr. Carl Moorhead where it remained until 1932. It then moved to The Odd Fellows building.
In December of 1974, East Gwillimbury Public Library was established by Town By-Law and Board Members were appointed as of January 1st, 1975. The Mount Albert and Queensville Libraries were dissolved and became branches of the newly formed East Gwillimbury Public Library. Members of the new Library Board were Mrs. Mary Pegg, who was instrumental in forming EGPL, Mayor Gladys Rolling, Mr. Mackenzie Porter, Mrs. Mary Slingerland and Mrs. Gail Kay.
In 1975, the Mount Albert Branch moved from the Odd Fellows Hall to the bottom floor of the Community Centre on Main Street. In April of 1980, Mount Albert Branch was moved to Main Street in a building formerly used as the Fire Hall. A new Mount Albert Branch opened on October 25th, 1998 in the Mount Albert Leisure Complex, now re-named Ross Family Complex.
In 1976, the Queensville Branch was housed in a tiny building on Main Street near the General Store. That same year, the Library was moved to the Queensville Community Centre and the original tiny building was moved to Sharon, where it is preserved as the entrance to the historical Sharon Temple Museum. In 1992, on April 28th, the Queensville Branch closed.
In 1975, the Holland Landing Branch opened in a small room on Bradford Street and in early 1985, moved temporarily to a location on the west side of Yonge Street in the plaza. In the fall of 1985, Holland Landing Branch moved across the street to its present location in the Community Centre, located at 19513 Yonge Street.