Library admin staff set to move as search continues for new Central Branch home

Administrative staff with the Windsor Public Library (WPL) will soon move into the former Motor City Community Credit Union building across from city hall. (Source: Google Maps)

Administrative staff at the Central Library Branch will soon be on the move.

An update on the branch was provided during the Windsor Public Library board meeting on Tuesday afternoon.

It was announced in mid-January that 40 staff members would be moved out of the second-floor of the Paul Martin Building that houses the Central Branch downtown, and into the former Motor City Community Credit Union building across from city hall.

Work at the new building is going well, with improvements completed to date at the new location such as cleaning, establishing internet access, re-keying locks, and installing security cameras and systems.

Staff are expected to relocate over the next couple of weeks, while work to find a permanent location for the Central Branch continues.

The Central Branch has been located inside of the Paul Martin Building since Feb. 2020, but were asked to vacate by early 2028 due to the ongoing construction of a boutique hotel.

Jen Knights, CEO of the Windsor Public Library, said a lot of work is being done at the new space.

“All the life-safety systems are being checked, or verified, or put in place... so certainly security cameras, our swipe access for our card access system, re-keying where necessary, and then making sure we have Wi-Fi and internet access for staff for the different functions that we’ll be providing there,” she said.

She said there have been some parking challenges in the lot adjacent to the Central Branch.

“Access to that lot was relatively unrestricted until recently, the owner let us know they were going to be restricting space so that it was available for contractors who were working in the building to park,” she said.

“We do have some staff spaces there that are part of our lease, and those spaces have continued, but the availability of parking in that actual lot has changed.”

Knights said the search for a new location continues.

“We are continuing to look for viable locations for the future Central Branch. We had a very successful public information centre and survey go out in the fall and had lots of responses to that. And we’re continuing to search for locations for our new home, which hopefully will be sometime in the new future.”

Both buildings will be leased, however the new location at 185 City Hall Square South is already a city owned building.

The Central Branch has been experiencing a drop in visits and circulation of material throughout 2025, which was attributed to the ongoing transition of the building.

The library saw approximately 8,500 fewer visits last year, with 76,700 visitors tallied in 2025 compared to 85,200 in 2024. And a nearly 10,000 dip in circulation of materials, from 98,300 items circulated in 2024 compared to 88,500 in 2025.