Meet The Montreal Children's Library our CBC charity of 2019

In recognition of the work The Montreal Children's Library does,CBC Montreal has chosen it as the beneficiary of its 2019 charity drive. Donations can be made onlineand at the CBC Sing-In.

Most of the kids and teens just nod to librarian Paula Lebrasseur on their way to the computers behind her, but some stop for a hug and she stands to welcome them like a family member.

"Some kids have called me 'mom' by accident," Lebrasseur says.

In the grey area between guardian and librarian, she sometimes finds herself worrying about the regulars if they don't show up after school.

In those cases, sometimes she'll call the parents or they'll call her.

The Montreal's Children's Library, located in VilleraySaint-MichelParc-Extension, moonlights as a free, safe, after-school activity centre for kids in the area.

It has been that way since 1929, when reading was combined with activities like puppet shows and ballet at different branches of the library.

That list of activities has since been updated to offer workshops in coding and filmmaking.

But the organization's precarious financial situationhas been ongoing and it shuttered two of its last three branches in Little Burgundy and Shaughnessy Village in 2016.

Fighting for literacy

In September 1929, seven women wanted to bring children's libraries to less privileged areas of the city, since only Westmount Library had offerings for children at the time.

So they founded the library, running primarily on donations.

According to the library's archives, its first head librarian, Violet Mary McEwan, said the stock market crash only a month after they opened took a toll on what they were hoping to accomplish.

"Nevertheless, we have managed to carry on," McEwan said.

Despite struggling during the Depression, over the years 11 branches opened around the city.

Organizers prioritized opening branches in communities where there were many low-income families, immigrant families and children with poor reading skills who would benefit from having access to a librarian.

Decades ago, a membership fee of five cents helped offset costs, but that was dropped in 1968 because it created a barrier for the most underprivileged children to access the library.

It has been completely free ever since.

Its one remaining branch operatesout of a large room in the VilleraySaint-MichelParc-Extension cultural centre.

The library is open six days per week and Lebrasseur, 30, is one of only a handful of employees.

While it looks like fundraising drives, donationsand a grant from the borough will keep this last branch open the distance between surviving and thriving is noticeable to those involved.

Stuff is good, staff is better

The library's space seems secure, but itneeds more staff to help children with their reading and homework.

Lebrasseur concedes that it's not the kind of request that gets donors excited.

"Needing more library staff isn't 'sexy' but it's necessary," she said.

Lebrasseur herself took a pay cut to work there.

With a master's degree in library science, she would earn twice as much in the public system.

But if the long commute fromVerdun to Saint-Michel doesn't deter her, that won't either.

Along with the funds needed to hire more staff, the library is looking to get more tablets so that kids can have access to reading apps and e-books.

It also hopes to revamp its small theatre space, and needs filmmaking and editing equipment. Workshops at the library currently rely on Lebrasseur's personal cell phone to film content.