City names archives after Bartleman
Posted Apr 3, 2012 08:11:58 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Ottawa’s new archives and library materials centre on Tallwood Drive has a new name – the James Bartleman Archives and Library Materials Centre.
A long-time Perth resident and a member of the Chippewas of Rama First Nation, Bartleman served as Ontario’s 27th Lieutenant Governor. During that time, he championed literacy among aboriginal children, creating the Lieutenant-Governor’s Book Program to stock libraries in first nations communities.
Bartleman told 1310News it’s a thrill to have a building named after him, but he’s not letting it go to his head.
“Some day people will drive by and say ‘James Bartleman, who in the heck was that?’ As a matter of fact, they don’t even have to drive by some day. Today they will drive by, or tomorrow, or the day after, when they see that sign: ‘James Bartleman. Who in the heck was he?’ But I know, and you know and your listeners know because of my love of libraries and books.”
Bartleman has always harboured a love of libraries.
“I was slated for following my dad’s steps as an unskilled manual labourer, but I discovered the village library,” he said. “I discovered books before then. Then I discovered the village library and that was my key out of a life of poverty and into a fulfilling life doing things I wanted to do.”
