A renewed community space in Saint Pierre de l’Île d’Orléans

For decades, the Oscar Ferland Library played an important role in life in Saint Pierre de l’Île d’Orléans. Its collection included a wide range of materials, with a strong emphasis on books by Quebec authors, alongside children’s storybooks, magazines, films, and works on the island’s history. In addition to its collections, the library offered residents a shared public space to spend time, browse materials, and come together. However, over time, the building could no longer keep up. Crowded shelves limited how much the library could offer. Movement was difficult for residents with reduced mobility. Programs and activities often had to be scaled back due to lack of space. The community needed a library that reflected how residents use and engage with the space today.

 

A renovation designed around community needs

The renewal focused on creating a space that is open, accessible, and comfortable for visitors. Wider pathways make it easier for residents with reduced mobility to move through the library with ease. Updated shelving and natural light brighten the interior and help organize the growing collection. New seating areas create inviting places to read, study, or gather. Most importantly, the expanded layout supports the programs and activities that were once limited by space; from children’s story times to workshops and cultural events. The redesigned library provides staff, volunteers, and residents with a space that feels welcoming and easy to use.

The renewed library also now serves as a flexible community hub. Families can explore book collections, films, magazines, and local history together without feeling crowded. Residents can join activities, attend events, or spend time in a calm environment for reading and learning. The updated design encourages participation, connection, and cultural engagement. It reflects the day-to-day needs of the community and supports how people learn and gather today.

A shared investment in cultural life

This project was made possible through collaboration between the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and the municipality. Their support helps secure the future of the library as a cultural anchor for Saint Pierre de l’Île d’Orléans. The renewed space offers residents a place that encourages learning and connection, and reflects a commitment to strengthening community life through accessible and welcoming public spaces for years to come.

Quick facts

• Saint-Pierre-de-l’Île-d’Orléans is one of 6 municipalities on Île d’Orléans, an island known for agriculture, heritage tourism, and its role as one of the earliest settled regions in Quebec.
• Île d’Orléans has one of the highest concentrations of heritage buildings in Quebec, making cultural spaces like the Oscar-Ferland Library vital for protecting local stories and history.
• The library is one of only a few dedicated cultural institutions on Île d’Orléans, along with museums and heritage centres spread across its 6 municipalities.
• The Oscar-Ferland Library was supported by the Small Communities Fund, a federal-provincial program that helped municipalities with populations under 100,000 invest in local infrastructure.

For more information

• Canada and Quebec support the Oscar-Ferland Library renovation project in Saint-Pierre-de-l’Île-d’Orléans
• Bibliothèque Oscar-Ferland
• Tourisme Île d'Orléans