Kitchener Public Library’s (KPL) newest branch opened to the public on Mar. 16, 2025. The Southwest Library, located at 100 Rosenberg Way, is the city’s sixth library branch and will serve as a community hub in the fast-growing neighbourhood.
This is the new branch of Kitchener Public Library to open since 2004. It is the region’s first net-zero building and one of the net-zero libraries in Canada.
Talks on building a new branch began in 2020, Amanda Wiley, the division manager for the Southwest Library, said. Wiley has been with KPL since 2018 and has helped lead the planning for the new branch.
Before taking on the division manager role, Wiley was the branch manager at KPL’s Country Hills Community Library and worked at the Hefner Studio at KPL’s Central Branch in downtown Kitchener.
“I’ve had the opportunity to be involved in everything from design and layout and furniture selection to hiring the team here and developing the programming strategy. It’s really exciting to be open and to be here for the community,” Wiley said.
The Southwest Library is located near the site where artifacts from an Indigenous community were discovered in 2019. Wiley said being near the site was a reminder to the library staff of their commitment to Truth and Reconciliation.
“Having that understanding is important. A huge part of our design process for this space has involved connecting with the traditional rights holders of the land—the Six Nations of the Grand River and the Mississaugas of the Credit—and talking to them about what they would like to see incorporated into the library,” she said.
The library’s design includes opportunities for circle seating, incorporating the colour purple throughout the space, and being able to hold smudging ceremonies. The library also has an Indigenous collection that is curated with assistance from Brantford-based GoodMinds Indigenous Books.
The Rosenberg neighbourhood’s population is quickly growing, and the library is the first of three major community projects in the area. In September 2005, the Waterloo Catholic District School Board and the City of Kitchener broke ground on a combined community centre and elementary school next to the Southwest Library.
The initial programming at the Southwest Library has been designed after consultations with neighbourhood members and community groups. The Southwest Library has been designed with a focus on food literacy, including a food garden and fully equipped teaching kitchen.
“The programming is designed to equip people with food literacy skills, like the ability to cook, recognize healthy foods, identify nutritional information and to have a better awareness of where your food comes from,” Wiley said.
Connecting the community through culinary programs is a core part of the library’s mission. Wiley said they have partnered with local chefs and organizations to bring unique experiences to the Rosenberg community.
Chef Destiny Moser from Cedar Spoon Indigenous Catering and Chef Thompson Tran from Woodenboat Food Co. will host cooking events in the space later this year. The library has also partnered with SPECTRUM to provide cooking and kitchen basics classes for members of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
“We’re in a place where this community is really very developed and continues to grow around us, and we’re excited to be the first public institution to open in the Rosenberg community,” Wiley said.
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