February is “I Love to Read” Month, and Mayor Scott Gillingham is marking the occasion by highlighting strong growth in use of Winnipeg ‘s public libraries.
Annual attendance across Winnipeg’s library system has increased 28.3% since 2022. Over the same period, the number of materials distributed increased by 18.9%.
“This is what it looks like when Council invests in building the core services people rely on,” said Gillingham. “We’ve added more hours across the library network, and the numbers show more Winnipeggers are visiting branches and borrowing materials.”
Year | Library Attendance | Materials Borrowed |
2022 | 1,673,850 | 4,348,840 |
2023 | 1,782,913 | 4,764,196 |
2024 | 2,092,652 | 5,027,041 |
2025 | 2,147,600 | 5,168,874 |
Council investments, with provincial support, have funded more consistent access across the system, including opening all libraries on Wednesdays year-round and expanding total library hours by nearly 10%, which started in 2024.
Councillor Vivian Santos, Chair of City Council’s Community Services Committee, said the results reflect strong demand across the city’s neighbourhood branches.
“Libraries are one of the most important public services the City offers, and seeing a 28% increase in visits since 2022 confirms Winnipeggers value welcoming, accessible spaces where they can read, learn, gather, and grow,” said Santos. “These results show that when we invest in community infrastructure, residents respond. During ‘I Love to Read’ Month, it’s especially meaningful to celebrate not just the joy of reading, but the growing role our libraries play in supporting lifelong learning across Winnipeg.”
The next major increase in library capacity will happen later this year, with the opening of Winnipeg's 21st branch at Garden City Shopping Centre. Councillor Devi Sharma (Old Kildonan) said the new Mike O’Shaughnessy Library will be an important addition for families in the area.
“Parents, students and young readers in my ward are looking forward to finally having a new library next year, and I want to thank the Mayor and my Council colleagues for supporting this long-term investment in reading, education and community service,” said Sharma.
Note: Mayor Gillingham is reading at three school “I Love to Read” events this year. Due to school rules, media attendance at these events is limited. B-roll is available upon request.