News from Mississippi Mills Public Library – Week of August 12, 2026

From the Mississippi Mills Public Library

Here is the latest weekly news from the Mississippi Mills Public Library (MMPL).

News, programs and events

Summer at the library! Here’s a small snapshot of the fun things that have been happening all summer long.

LEGO Robotics

LEGO Robotics is back at the Mississippi Mills Public Library this fall!
These hands-on STEM programs offer a fantastic opportunity for kids to explore robotics, engineering, and programming in a fun and engaging environment for FREE! With instruction and support from a Steampunk Education instructor, participants will build and program LEGO Spike kits with Scratch, a kid-friendly, block-based coding language.

• LEGO Sumobots (ages 8+) – kids learn how to build and code robots before facing off in a thrilling robot sumo battle, where the strongest bot wins!
• LEGO Maze Challenge (ages 10+) – kids assemble and code robots to successfully navigate a maze!

Important information:

• Participants must be able to read, as basic reading skills are required to use Scratch.
• Only eight spots are available per session – registration is required and spaces fill up quickly!
• Limit of ONE Sumobot and ONE Maze Challenge per child. This ensures as many different children as possible have the opportunity to participate.
• Registration opens fiyr weeks in advance of each session – the first chance to register is August 15 for September 12 Sumobots!

You can find the details for all of the upcoming fall/winter sessions here: https://mmpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar/

We gratefully acknowledge the Elizabeth Kelly Foundation for their generous financial support, which helps make programs like this possible.

Summer AI and technology workshops

Last chance – our summer AI and Technology Workshops are almost over.

There are three informative sessions to choose from:

• Internet Safety – Learn the ins and outs of Internet Safety. In this workshop you’ll learn about the dangers of the internet and how to safely avoid them.
• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Learn about one of the most important developments of the modern era. AI is changing how people work, learn, communicate, create and solve problems.
• Social Media Safety for Families – There are endless ways to have fun and stay connected online. Youth and/or caregivers are invited to learn about how to safely navigate these online spaces.

Each workshop is a single session, offered at various times. For more information and to register: https://mmpubliclibrary.libcal.com/calendar or call the Almonte Branch at 613-256-1037.

Travelogue speakers needed

We are looking for presenters for the Fall/Winter/Spring 2026-27 Travelogue Series.

A travelogue is a presentation, usually with photos or videos, that describes the people, places, history, culture and experiences from your travels. It doesn’t have to have been somewhere far!

If you have a trip, travel tips or travel-themed stories to share, please get in touch with Melanie: mbrunton@mmpubliclibrary.ca

Justin Bordes at the Corridor Gallery

The Corridor Gallery at the Almonte Branch welcomes Justin Bordes from August 9 – October 3. Justin is a 26-year-old artist born and raised in the Ottawa Valley. He loves to take photographs and brings his camera everywhere he goes. He has a flair for the dramatic and a love for art and culture. Justin takes straightforward photos of the world around him, highlighting everyday beauty. His work encourages us to remember that ordinary objects and people have a soul and a story within them, their shape and form dependent on our willingness to experience them.

Library closure

The library will be CLOSED on Sunday, August 30. Additionally, the Children’s Area will be closed August 29 and 31 at the Almonte Branch. Picture books will still be available for checkout, but patrons will be unable to browse or have holds retrieved from the other collections in that area (both English and French: Beginner Readers, Junior Fiction, JF Graphic Novels, Junior Non-Fiction, DVDs) during this time.

Free climate resources available

Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation (ICCA) has resources for library patrons, Mississippi Mills residents and all Canadians, including guides on extreme heat, flooding, wildfires, nature and capital markets.

Free downloads available here: https://www.intactcentreclimateadaptation.ca/climate-ready-infographics/