Library invites Brant County residents to share their stories

The County of Brant Public Library has embarked on a year-long “Living History” project to capture and preserve stories from locals in the form of a documentary-style video and anthology book.

Jeremy Taylor, the library’s makerspace co-ordinator, said no story is too small and they’re open to any anecdote that will help to showcase the impact libraries can have on communities.

Locals who sign up for a video interview will be asked specific questions about their experiences at the library, said Emma Johnston, who does program and outreach services for the library.

People can alternately contribute written or visual art to an anthology book the team is assembling with a local publisher.

Both the video and anthology will be released in 2025.

Since opening submissions in January, Johnston said they’re received poetry, short stories, articles, and memoirs by people in the county and about the county.

Residents who want to are encouraged to submit their stories no matter their writing experience, as library staff, peer editors and the publisher are all helping to polish them, said Johnston, adding, “I would be surprised if there was much that we turned away unless it was inappropriate.”

The hope is that these projects will become part of the library’s archive and, years from now, can show how the library was functioning in the community at this point in time, Johnston said.

For more information or to contribute to the project, visit brantlibrary.ca/history.

Celeste Percy-Beauregard’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative. The funding allows her to report on stories about Brant County. Reach her at cpercybeauregard@torstar.ca.

Celeste Percy-Beauregard, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator