Kingston Frontenac Public Library

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Kingston Frontenac Public Library
Category:Pages using infobox mapframe without shape links in Wikidata
Location130 Johnson Street
Kingston, Ontario
K7L 1X8
TypePublic Library system in Kingston Frontenac
Established1895
Branches16
Collection
Items collectedbusiness directories, phone books, maps, government publications, books, periodicals, genealogy, local history,
Other information
WebsiteKingston Frontenac Public Library

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) was established in 1998 through the amalgamation of the Kingston Public Library (which began as a 19th-century Mechanics Institute) and the Frontenac County Library, creating a 17-branch system. The KFPL serves the city of Kingston and Frontenac County in Ontario, Canada. The library regularly welcomes visitors from outside of this region.[1][2] The KFPL has a board made up of appointees and representatives from Kingston City Council and Frontenac County Council. The board operates using the Carver Model.

Services

  • Information and reference services
  • Community information
  • Internet access
  • Reader's advisory services
  • Programs for children, youth and adults
  • Delivery to homebound individuals
  • Interlibrary loan
  • Free downloadable audiobooks and e-books

History

It was one of a series of Mechanics' Institutes that were set up around the world after becoming popular in Britain. It housed a subscription library that allowed members who paid a fee to borrow books. The Mechanics' Institutes libraries eventually became public libraries when the establishment of free libraries occurred.[3] The Mechanics Institute in Kingston was founded in 1834; in 1895, the Kingston Public Library was established, making it one of the first public libraries in Canada.[4]

Branches

There are five branches within the city of Kingston and eleven branches throughout Frontenac County.[5][2] The library branches include:

  • Arden
  • Calvin Park
  • Cataraqui Centre (temporary)
  • Central (main branch)
  • Cloyne
  • Hartington
  • Howe Island
  • Isabel Turner (closed for renovations, re-opening Spring 2026)
  • Mountain Grove
  • Parham
  • Pittsburgh
  • Plevna
  • Rideau Heights
  • Sharbot Lake
  • Storrington
  • Sydenham
  • Wolfe Island

The KFPL also offers two mobile library locations.[5] A mobile library offers a selection of books that can be borrowed with a KFPL membership. The two locations include:

  • Kingston Secondary School
  • Kingston East Community Centre

See also

References

  1. ↑ Kingston Frontenac Public Library. (n.d.). Kingston Frontenac Public Library. Retrieved January 20, 2010, from http://www.kfpl.ca/index_html
  2. 1 2 "Library". www.frontenaccounty.ca. 2025-08-27. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  3. ↑ Harris, Michael. History Of Libraries In The Western World. 4th ed. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press, 1995, p. 153.
  4. ↑ Sly, Gord (October 23, 2015). "The book on Mechanics' Institute". The Kingston Whig Standard. Retrieved October 4, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Kingston Frontenac Public Library. "All Branches". Kingston Frontenac Public Library. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
Category:Public libraries in Ontario Category:Buildings and structures in Kingston, Ontario Category:Education in Kingston, Ontario Category:Libraries established in 1895 Category:1895 establishments in Ontario Category:1998 establishments in Ontario Category:Libraries established in 1998 Category:Libraries in Frontenac County
Category:1895 establishments in Ontario Category:1998 establishments in Ontario Category:All Wikipedia articles written in Canadian English Category:Buildings and structures in Kingston, Ontario Category:Education in Kingston, Ontario Category:Libraries established in 1895 Category:Libraries established in 1998 Category:Libraries in Frontenac County Category:Pages using infobox mapframe without shape links in Wikidata Category:Pages using the Kartographer extension Category:Public libraries in Ontario Category:Use Canadian English from January 2026