The Emmanuel Bookstore is a diocesan bookstore founded in 1979 as an initiative of charismatic prayer groups of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie. At this time, the prayer groups had gathered to form a corporation under the name Corporation de l'Assemblée francophone du Renouveau charismatique catholique du Diocèse de Sault Ste. Marie. The management and the secretarial office were called Centre Emmanuel and were located in a small apartment rented by the Jesuit Fathers close to Villa Loyola on Long Lake Road in Sudbury. It is in a small room of this apartment that the Emmanuel Bookstore started. At this time, the bookstore mainly stocked bibles and books on spiritual development.

In Spring 1982, the opening of the Centre de Pastorale in the Nolin Building on Notre-Dame Avenue gave the Centre Emmanuel and the bookstore the opportunity to relocate in a more central and spacious location. For the first 5 years in this location, the Centre Emmanuel, the office of the Renouveau charismatique, shared a space with the bookstore. However, in November 1988, it became necessary for the Centre Emmanuel to move to another space in order that the bookstore would have more room to display its merchandise. In 1990, the Bookstore relocates again in the basement of the Nolin Building. In January 1993, during a special meeting of the Assemblée des membres actifs de la Corporation, it was decided that la Corporation as the owner of the Librairie Emmanuel would transfer all its assets and inventory to the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie.

In the beginning the following people were in charge of the bookstore, Ms. Cécile Bonin (1979-80) and Mr. Léo Brunet (1980-92). Sister Suzanne Aylwin became in charge in the fall of 1980 until 1997.

Since 1997, Ms. Monette Gagné is at the head of the bookstore. In 2000, the Centre de Pastorale moved downtown Greater Sudbury in the old Nurses' Residence on Ste-Anne Road. It is at this time that an English section is added to the bookstore, due among other factors, to the closing of the English diocesan bookstore in Sault Ste. Marie. The new name is the Librairie Emmanuel Bookstore. Ms. Rita Guillemette is in charge of the English section of the bookstore.

At the Emmanuel Bookstore, in addition to the books for all ages, you will find greeting cards, icons, posters, music CDs, videos, religious articles and gift ideas for all occasions, both in French and in English.