Free menstrual products are now available in washrooms at every London Public Library branch following a new partnership with the Period Equity Project, an initiative aimed at reducing period poverty and improving access to essential supplies across the city.
Library officials say the initiative reflects the growing role of public libraries as community support spaces, helping remove everyday barriers that can prevent people from fully participating in school, work and daily life.
The program began as a pilot project funded by library donors and later expanded through the new partnership, which now helps supply products across all locations and supports ongoing distribution logistics.
Kristen Caschera is a librarian and supervisor at London Public Library. (Credit: www.lpl.ca)
“I was working on the help desk one day and a young girl came up and she was in need of a product and so I was kind of running around in our staff room trying to see what I could find,” said Kristen Caschera, a supervisor with London Public Library who led the initiative. “It really hit home to me that this is something that we should do our absolute best to try and provide.”
Caschera said rising living costs have made period product access more difficult for many people, with some forced to choose between purchasing necessities such as food or rent and buying menstrual supplies. Providing products directly in washrooms ensures people can take what they need privately and without having to ask staff, she added.
Products are available in all washrooms, including men’s, women’s and family spaces, to ensure access for anyone who may need them, including caregivers picking up supplies for family members.
Caschera said that the public response to the initiative has been overwhelmingly positive, and the partnership will help ensure the program can continue long-term as demand grows across branches.
Stevie Brocksom standing in the back of a truck in 2023. Stevie is the President of Fairy Godparents London, the chairty behind the Period Equity Project. (Credit: fairygodparentslondon.com)
The Period Equity Project began as a grassroots initiative led by London resident Stevie Brocksom after a community poll revealed that many respondents lacked reliable access to menstrual products. Over time, the effort grew into a citywide program focused on improving dignity, choice and accessibility.
“Nobody wants to get stuck somewhere without access,” Brocksom said in a library news release. “This is about one less thing people have to worry about.”
Brocksom added that improving access is especially important for people who are unhoused, living on limited incomes or facing stigma around menstruation, emphasizing that “we want people to have dignity and independence. These products should already be free.”
XFM News reached out to Brocksom for comment, but they were unavailable.
Community members interested in supporting the program can donate menstrual products or make financial contributions through the Period Equity Project.
