THUNDER BAY – June 5, 2025 — The Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) has announced that the Brodie Library branch will temporarily close to the public starting Monday, June 16, with renovations expected to be completed by September 2025.
The closure, originally part of long-term restructuring plans, has been expedited in response to ongoing safety and security concerns.
Library CEO Richard Togman stated that while the closure was always planned as part of broader system upgrades, the decision was accelerated due to “increasing and escalating security incidents at the branch.”
“By closing now, we’re sparing ourselves months of navigating around active construction zones,” Togman explained. “We can complete the physical changes more quickly and provide some much-needed relief to staff who’ve been working under difficult and, in some cases, untenable conditions.”
What’s Changing at Brodie
During the closure, TBPL will implement a series of major renovations and operational updates, including:
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Hiring of new security-focused staff to monitor and support safety at the branch;
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Redesigning the interior floor plan to improve visibility and create more user-friendly spaces for browsing and studying;
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Relocating the branch’s main collection to the first floor, streamlining access and traffic flow;
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Establishing a dedicated Research Department on the lower level, complete with its own service desk for users accessing Local History, Photo, and Map Collections;
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Relocating the Friends of the Library Used Bookstore from Brodie to the Waverley branch, aligning better with public demand for evening and weekend service.
Continued Service During Closure
Despite the physical closure, Brodie staff will remain on duty, playing a key role in:
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Reorganizing the collection in line with the new floor plan;
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Undergoing enhanced training on safety, security, and customer service;
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Fulfilling hold requests for pickup at other library locations;
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Providing research support via email for patrons seeking Local History and Special Collections resources.
“When Brodie reopens in September, it will be a safer, more welcoming space with modernized procedures that better support both our patrons and our staff,” Togman said.
The library encourages the community to visit its other branches during the closure, and to take advantage of digital services and inter-branch collections to stay connected with TBPL resources.
For more updates, patrons can visit tbpl.ca.
