In 1956 the Rev. John Barley was appointed the first Minster of Christian Education at Islington. During that year, enrolment in the Church School reached a peak at 1,281 children and 147 staff. Rev. Barley accomplished much in Teacher Training Programs and using experimental teaching methods.

The matter of securing additional space was always on his mind. At various times, part of the Church School had to be housed in the Islington Public School on Cordova Avenue, and in the Islington Seniors’ Center on Dundas Street.

In 1960 Rev. Barley was chosen by the United Church Board of Sunday School Publications to prepare the new curriculum for the Junior Department. It was a great shock to the congregation, then, when Rev. Barley suddenly died in October 1961.

Rev. Stewart East, Senior Minister at Islington United since 1947, wrote of his memorial service: “We were more than a company of people who came to honour a respected and valued minister. Rather we were a company of individuals who came with a deep sense of personal loss and were joined by others from far and near – from Syracuse, from Sarnia – those to whom the Rev. John Barley had become a real and personal friend.”

A great supporter, the library was named in his honour following his death.