The event was a chance to celebrate the deep history of the Alex Robertson Public Library. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

literacy

Alex Robertson Public Library celebrates 65 years of service

Apr 8, 2025 | 1:28 PM

The importance of La Ronge’s Alex Robertson Public library was made apparent during a special 65th anniversary event held Monday.

It was attended by about 30 people who were there either to commemorate the milestone, or were in attendance for the announcement of the 2025 Harold Johnson Change Your Story Award recipients or the reception for the La Ronge Arts Council’s annual membership show.

According to information shared at the event, the first public library in La Ronge was founded in April 1960 in the basement of the former Gateway School, where the Northern Lights School Division office now sits. Its first librarian was Sophie Gregg.

Due to flooding, it was later moved to a location at the corner of La Ronge Avenue and Nunn Street. At some point, it relocated to the space it currently occupies at the town office, which was renovated and expanded in 2012. In 2016, the La Ronge Public Library was renamed the Alex Robertson Public Library.

“For me, 65 years of people coming here and reading together and families and multi-generations, that’s what I think is so important,” said Lori Ulriksen, a current vice-president of the library.

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“I think it is always evolving, and you can see from tonight, it is really the hub of the community. There’s all generations here from young children to 96-year-olds. The library is something that speaks to all of us, anyone who likes books. It’s not just books, but it makes literature affordable [and accessible] to everybody.”

At the end of 2024, the library had 23,496 items in its collection with 1,454 new items being added that year. In addition, 1,400 users checked out 10,275 items which saved a total of $174,000. Programming is also a large part of the ongoings at the library with 2,773 people participating in at least one activity throughout the year.

“In the mornings, they do story time with young children and school groups. There’s sometimes art classes or other classes like computers and drones and everything,” Ulriksen explained.

“It’s open and available for lots of different organizations. That’s what I think is important is not just the arts stuff, but how it is here and available for everyone.”

While much of the event was to celebrate the history of the library, it was also a chance to announce the 2025 Harold Johnson Change Your Story Award recipients. They are Tommy Bird, Deakin Cook and Miriam Körner. Cook was given $500 to launch an automotive detailing business, while Cook and Körner received $300 to support a co-authored memoire of Cook’s experiences growing up on a trapline near Southend.

The event also served as an opportunity to showcase the La Ronge Arts Council’s annual membership show. This year’s exhibit features 17 artists who submitted pieces under the theme Art and the Word. It will be on display in the library for the month of April.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com