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March 3, 2010

Published by the Southern Ontario Library Service

All issues of SIGNAL can be viewed online. However, if anyone would like to receive the e-mail version of this newsletter, please send a message to . You can reach the editor of SIGNAL at or by telephone at 1-866-380-9767.

The introductory page for the Southern Ontario Library Service is www.sols.org . From that page, you can move to any other pages created by staff at the Southern Ontario Library Service, as well as to links to resources and professional information. 


In this issue:

1. SOLS HOLIDAY CLOSURE
2. $15 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE
3. PROJECTS WITHIN THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT

a) Virtual Online Community Library (VOCaL)

4. SOLS DELIVERY SERVICE Route Changes are effective Monday, March 29, 2010
5. CONSORTIUM PURCHASING AGREEMENTS (CPAs)

a) Accessibility resources

6. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

a) Rural Learning Association – deadline April 15, 2010

7. SOLS TRAINING

a)  Workshops and webinars
b)  Special webinars: Mobile Library Application
c)  EXCEL

8. FIRST NATIONS PUBLIC LIBRARY INITIATIVES

a)  New Teleconference Networking Opportunity for Municipal and County Libraries Interested in Serving the First Nation Peoples in Their Communities

9. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

a)  Library Committee Meetings – March 22 To April 12, 2010
b)  Trustee Council Meetings – April 17 To May 1, 2010

10. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES : CANADIAN POINT OF VIEW
11. ANNUAL SURVEY OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES
12. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

a)  AODA 2005

13. SOLS PUBLICATIONS
14. BOARD SUMMARYFebruary 2010
15. SOLS CEO LISTSERV



1. SOLS HOLIDAY CLOSURE - Friday April 2 and Monday, April 5, 2010

SOLS offices will be closed and the delivery routes will not operate on Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5, 2010. For libraries receiving delivery only on Fridays or Mondays, special arrangements have been made. The changes for individual routes will be posted in the Delivery Service section of the SOLS website.


2. $15 MILLION INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC LIBRARIES FROM THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE

Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) received $15 million from the Ministry of Culture to be used in collaboration with Ontario Library Service-North (OLSN) “for the purpose of supporting public libraries’ efforts to provide equitable access to a range of digital information, community collections and services to Ontarians”. The funds have been divided into three program components:

  • Library Credits/Grant Program
  • Applications Program & Education Fund
  • Projects

There is a webpage within the SOLS website which has information on various components of the $15 million investment including library credits, project descriptions, application forms, reimbursement forms, and forms for post-project reports. 
 
Within the $15 million program, all libraries are eligible to participate in the Library Credit/Grant Program using their library credits. A library credit is a designated amount of money for each library system which may be used for eligible expenditures. Keep in mind that all funds within this component of the program should be expended by December 31, 2010. A post project report form has been added to the website and should be completed only after you have expended all of your library credit.


3. PROJECTS WITHIN THE $15 MILLION INVESTMENT

a) Virtual Online Community Library (VOCaL)

The Virtual Online Community Library (VOCaL) is a one year pilot project of Ontario Library Service-North to provide library services to communities that do not have a public library. Through VOCaL users can search online subscription databases; access a secure online chat reference service; download audio books; borrow books from Ontario public libraries through Interlibrary Loan; and search family history. The project is funded by the Ontario Ministry of Culture’s $15 million investment in public libraries through Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) in collaboration with Ontario Library Service-North (OLS-North). There is a website for VOCaL which is hosted by OLS-North.
 
Virtual Online Community Library kiosks are now installed in their communities and the first VOCaL patrons have registered and will be receiving their library cards in the mail shortly. Libraries may get interlibrary loan requests from these patrons in the near future via the VOCL VDX account. These requests will be mediated by ILL staff in the SOLS Toronto office. VOCL patrons can only place requests for printed material. Non print material (tapes, CDs, DVDs etc.) are not permitted as they cannot be shipped using the Library Book Rate. The “tips sheet” was distributed to all INFO administrators by the INFO Help Desk but it is also posted in the User Documentation page of the INFO section of the SOLS website under the heading “Lenders shipping to Virtual Online Community Library patrons”.


4. SOLS DELIVERY SERVICE Route Changes are effective Monday, March 29, 2010

On Monday, March 29, 2010, the proposed route changes for the SOLS Delivery Service will take effect. The updated routes can be found in the Delivery Service section of the SOLS webpage. On this page you will also find a link for the alphabetical listing of all the SOLS libraries, with their route designations and day by day delivery service and a link to a summary page listing the changes for each library.
 
SOLS contracted with KPMG in the summer of 2009 to investigate options to relieve cost pressures on the delivery service. An email providing context on the study was sent to CEOs on December 15, 2009. The final report was submitted on November 16, 2009. One of the recommendations in the report was to adjust the service benchmarks to determine the number of delivery days per week a library will receive. Effective Monday, March 29, 2010, we will be using the following service benchmarks:

New Benchmarks for SOLS Delivery 
Delivery Frequency (days per week)  Service Benchmark  What is being measured 
300  ILL volume is used to qualify for one delivery per week. After that, increments are based on average of ILL volume and total shipments (calculated annually).
2 1,500 
2,500 
4,000 


 
If you have any questions about the delivery study, please contact Laurey Gillies . For details on route changes, please contact MaryJo Lynett


5. CONSORTIUM PURCHASING AGREEMENTS (CPAs)

SOLS negotiates charitable/consortia purchasing agreements (CPAs) on behalf of public libraries. CPAs are ‘economies of scale’ pricing for the purchase or lease of a range of goods and services. More information on the various agreements already in place is posted in the CAP section of the SOLS website. There is one new offer this month which might be of interest (please note that all CPA messages are also posted to the SOLSCEO listserv and the special SOLS CPA listserv):
 
a) Accessibility resources – SOLS has negotiated a new consortia purchasing agreement for assistive technology products for Ontario public libraries trying to achieve AODA compliance. Special Needs Computers has been chosen as our vendor of record for adaptive technology products. Libraries that spend over $200 with Special Needs Computers are eligible to receive a 10% discount. Further information on this CPA with Special Needs Computers is posted on the SOLS website.
 
Assistive technology products are eligible for use under the Library Credits part of the $15 million investment in Ontario Public Libraries program. Further information on the Library Credit program is posted on the SOLS website.
 
For further information on CPAs, please contact Brenda Lewis at 416-961-1669 or 1-800-387-5765, extension 5130 or by e-mail to .


6. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

a) Rural Learning Associationdeadline April 15, 2010
 
The Rural Learning Association is pleased to announce the resumption of its funding program for rural Ontario libraries. The Sarah Badgley Literacy Fund for Rural Ontario Children will provide grants of up to $500 for Ontario libraries' children's programs for 2010. It is anticipated that at least three grants will be made this year, and possibly more, subject to the availability of funds. The initial applications are due by 15 April. For additional information, please consult the RLA's website, or contact Kerry Badgley at 613-258-1395 (e-mail kerry.badgley@inspection.gc.ca). 


7. SOLS TRAINING

a)  Workshops and webinars

The first SOLS Training Bulletin was e-mailed to library staff on January 11, 2010. A copy of the SOLS Training Bulletin was also be posted on “Workshops and Webinars” page within the Training section of the SOLS website.  The second SOLS Training Bulletin will be published during the week of March 8th and will be distributed to library CEOs, branch managers and those who have attended sessions.

b)  Special webinars: Mobile Library Application

Are you interested in a “mobile app” for your library? I have been approached by a mobile solutions provider for libraries who would like to demonstrate what this product has to offer libraries. You can see their application at work for Santa Clara PL on various handheld platforms at:

(It also runs on iPod touch, Windows Mobile, Palm, and Symbian devices.)

Such an application extends access of your library’s resources to those who use mobile devices to access information on the Internet. The mobile app makes it possible for users of devices like the iPhone and the Blackberry to more easily view your website and OPAC. SOLS will be holding three introductory webinars in March and April from a company called Boopsie, a mobile solutions provider for libraries. They have already been selected by OCLC and Califa, a library consortium in California, as their vendor of choice in this arena. “We have reduced a complex development and maintenance effort with man-years of resource requirements into a world-class, industry-leading solution that launches in a matter of weeks across all major devices (not just the iPhone!). The implementation process is straightforward and requires only a couple of days worth of library resources. We take care of all hosting and platform expansion. Note also that ours is a next generation native app solution with a client/server architecture and not simply an older browser-based solution.”
 
If you are interested in such a product, you can sign up for one of the webinars being offered on:

Wednesday March 24: 2:00 - 3:00
Thursday, April 8: 3:00 - 4:00
Tuesday April 12: 10:00 - 11:00

Just go to the Workshops and Webinars page of the SOLS website after March 8th to register.
 
c)  EXCEL
 
With respect to EXCEL, please note that the registration for the Summer semester will be open on Monday, March 22, 2010. After that date, the registration form will be posted in the EXCEL section of the SOLS website.
 
This summer, in English, we will be offering the following courses:
 
#1 – Introduction to Public Libraries (M) – new edition
#6 – Basic Collection Development (M)
#9 – Collection Development for Adults and Special Groups
#19 – Readers' Advisory Service
 
This summer, in French, we plan to offer:
 
1. –  Introduction aux bibliothèques publiques (O)
2. – Principes d'administration d'une bibliothèque (2009) (O)
17. – Ressources électroniques d'information (O)
 
Courses marked as M or O are mandatory for those wishing to complete an EXCEL certificate. Bilingual students are welcome to take courses in either French or English, and to switch back and forth to take courses in either language.


8. FIRST NATIONS PUBLIC LIBRARY INITIATIVES

Submitted by Patty Lawlor, SOLS First Nations consultant

New Teleconference Networking Opportunity for Municipal and County Libraries Interested in Serving the First Nation Peoples in Their Communities
 
In response to interest, SOLS will offer municipal and county libraries committed to serving the First Nation people in their communities a teleconference-based networking opportunity for staff.
 
The goal of the new networking opportunity is to support libraries in their efforts to increase public library relevance to, and public library usage by, First Nation peoples living off reserve. The initiative will establish a support group for library staff who plan and deliver in-library and/or outreach services to the First Nation peoples in their communities. Libraries are welcome to have as many staff members participate as wish to.
 
This initiative will contribute to:

  • increasing awareness and understanding of First Nation cultures;
  • sharing information about resources, programs, and opportunities;
  • celebrating successes;
  • discussing challenges;
  • brainstorming solutions.

This opportunity may also interest municipal and county libraries with neighbouring First Nation communities.
 
SOLS plans to launch the first teleconference the week of March 8th and will contact interested parties with the date, time, and teleconference call-in information. If you are interested in participating, please contact Patty Lawlor ( ), First Nations consultant, by Friday, March 5.


9. NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES

a) Library Committee Meetings – March 22 to April 12, 2010
 
Library Committee meetings are held three times a year in seven locations. The meeting is usually a half day and is combined with a half day Clinic training event. CEOs and senior staff of libraries have an opportunity to meet and discuss common issues, and receive updates and news from SOLS staff. The next meetings will be held as follows:

  • Tri-County area – Monday, March 29, 2010, Trent Hills Public Library - Campbellford Branch
  • Prescott-Russell Comité des services en français – le lundi 22 mars 2010, Bibliothèque publique de Alfred-Plantagenet – Lefaivre
  • Leeds & Grenville area – Wednesday, April 7, 2010, Rideau Lakes Public Library - Newboro Branch
  • Simcoe/Muskoka area – Thursday, April 8, 2010, Collingwood Public Library
  • Renfrew area – Thursday, March 25, 2010, Greater Madawaska Library (Calabogie)
  • Peterborough area – Monday, March 22, 2010, Douro-Dummer Public Library
  • Saugeen area – Monday, April 12, 2010, Shelburne Library

Registration information will be posted in the Networking and meetings section of the SOLS website.
 
b) Trustee Council Meetings - April 17 to May 1, 2010
 
Trustee Councils meet twice a year in eight areas. The meeting is about three hours long and provides an opportunity for library trustees to discuss governance issues and receive updates and news from SOLS, OLBA and occasionally FOPL. While all trustees are welcome to attend, public library boards may designate a representative who will receive a print mailing of the agenda. Further information and maps to each location are posted in the Trustee Council section of the SOLS website.  The next meetings will be held as follows:

  • Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Huntsville Public Library - Trustee Council 4 (new date)
  • Saturday, April 17, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Ottawa Public Library, Greenboro Branch - Trustee Council 8
  • Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Middlesex County Library, Branch TBA - Trustee Council 1
  • Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Milton Public Library, Beaty Branch- Trustee Council 2
  • Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Belleville Public Library - Trustee Council 6
  • Saturday, April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 1 pm, Renfrew Public Library - Trustee Council 7
  • Monday, April 26, 2010 from 6 pm to 9 pm, Hanover Public Library - Trustee Council 3
  • Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm, Ajax Public Library, McLean Branch - Trustee Council 5

10. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES : CANADIAN POINT OF VIEW

SOLS/OLS-N and Knowledge Ontario have made a number of electronic resources available to public libraries through funding from the Ministry of Culture. Resources provided through Knowledge Ontario are available through to December 31, 2010 and those from SOLS/OLS-N continue into 2011. As a result, all public libraries in Ontario have access to the following electronic resources. Please take a few minutes to check your website to ensure that all electronic products available to your library are linked. For those products licensed through Knowledge Ontario, registration instructions are posted on the KO website . At the same time, also ensure that staff are familiar with these resources, and where possible, register for upcoming SOLS webinars or vendor training sessions. 
 
In this issue of Signal, we will highlight the Canadian Points of View database which is available for FREE to all public libraries.
 
Canadian Points of View Reference Centre is a full text database for use in public and school libraries in Canada. Content in the database is designed to provide students and schools with a series of controversial essays that present multiple sides of a current issue. Essays provide questions and materials for further thought and study and are accompanied by thousands of supporting articles from the world's top political and societal publications. The product has a deliberate Canadian focus that highlights the issues in the country of Canada.
 
Sources for this database are varied, and include magazines and newspapers, both international and national, TV and radio transcripts and reference books. The unique portion of this particular database is the essays compiled on topics of interest to or impacting on Canadians. These are found by searching for a topic, and looking under the “Points of View” tab in the search results.
 
The database has many search options, with help available within each screen. Essays and tips on writing good essays, evaluating materials, and research and presentation are included. As with most databases, there is assistance with citations, and you can select from a variety of citation standards.


11. ANNUAL SURVEY OF PUBLIC LIBRARIES

The Programs and Services Branch of the Ministry of Culture maintains statistics on public libraries in Ontario. These statistics are compiled using data from the Annual Survey of Public Libraries. In the next few weeks, each library system will receive a letter from the Ministry with details about this year’s deadline date and providing a unique password so that the Annual Survey can be completed electronically. The form posted on the Ministry website should only be used as a guide to see which pieces of information are required, and as a way to collect the required Typical Week data (which should have been completed in November 2009).
 
For those looking for electronic resources statistics for the Annual Survey, the following is information that has been collated by Resource Ontario:
 
C 1.3.1 - Answer: 31 English Language databases, not including the ebooks.
Explanation: This represents the number of individual database titles for all the databases licensed by KO, not including the Gale Virtual Reference Library of ebooks. Because the Eureka.cc database is only one title but contains both English and French periodicals I have not separated it out as French Language.
 
C 2.3.3 - Answer: 1 copy of each of 31 databases and 36 ebooks
Explanation: Each library is provided with 1 copy of each database title and ebook title which can then be accessed by an infinite number of simultaneous users.
 
C 2.3.4 - Answer: 67 titles
Explanation: There are a total of 31 database titles plus 36 ebook titles. 
 
C 3.2.1 - Answer: 27 titles
Explanation: Of the 31 database titles, four do not contain periodical access; Career Cruising, Auto Repair Reference Center, Canadian Points of View and Teen Health & Wellness.
 
C 3.2.4 - Answer: 18,460 English Language, 23 French Language
Explanation: The Gale collection of 26 databases contains the bulk of the individual periodical titles, primarily in English. The Eureka.cc database accounts for 11 of the French Language titles, and Gale accounts for 12.
 
 
In addition, for those products licensed for public libraries by SOLS, here is further data for the Annual Survey.
 
For Ancestry Library Edition, over 4,000 databases are included in the product.
 
For those of you participating in the OverDrive Collection, it currently includes 2,924 eAudiobook titles.
 
For those participating in NetLibrary, the following is the number of titles in the NetLibrary collections. The number to be entered depends on when the library joined the program, e.g. COOL I, COOL II, etc.:

Collection  eAudiobooks  Number of eBooks in Collection 
COOL   4859 
COOL II    2388 
COOL III    232 
COOL IV  761  23 
COOL V  1189  292 
COOL VI  767  206 

 


12. LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

a)      AODA 2005
 
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 has been in place for almost four years now, and yet there is still plenty of confusion around the requirements and related regulations. It is important to know that there are five areas in which mandatory accessibility standards will be created – customer service, information and communication, employment, built environment, transportation.
 
Standards explain an accepted way of doing something. They state the requirements that must be met, who has to meet them, and by when. The legal requirement for accessibility falls under the AODA 2005 which is the responsibility of the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services and the government has created a website called Access ON to cover the topic of Accessibility including understanding disabilities, barriers, and Ontario’s disability laws. In late 2009, the AccessON website was redesigned  and moved, so you may have to change any bookmarks you have.
 
The Ministry of Community and Social Services has created a number of tools and training resources to help with compliance on the customer service standard. While these documents are described within other sections, they have been collected on one page called “Tools to help you comply”. At this page, you will find copies of electronic publications such as:

  • Guide to the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07, 
  • Compliance Manual: Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07,
  • Accessibility Standards for Customer Service: Summary of Requirements
  • Training Resource: Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07
  • Serve-Ability: Transforming Ontario's Customer Service
  • Frequently asked questions about complying with the customer service standard
  • QQuestions and answers for municipalities

13. SOLS PUBLICATIONS

From time to time, SOLS produces publications for use by public library staff and board members. 
 
In 2009, SOLS published the first part of the Trillium Public Library: Sample Policies as a tool to help CEOs, staff and boards with policy development work. This publication, posted on the SOLS website within the Library Development Guide series as both a pdf and a Word file, included sample foundation policies, board by-laws, governance policies and seven different operational policies.
 
This month, we have published part 2 of Trillium Public Library: Sample Policies which adds an additional ten policies.  Seven of the new policies are operational policies and three cover topics related to volunteers.  These new policies are also available on the SOLS website in pdf form and like the first publication the individual policies are also available in Word format . These sample policies are not intended to be a replacement for informed discussion on policies but rather a starting place for identifying the various issues that need to be addressed when writing a policy.


14. BOARD SUMMARYFebruary 2010

Assurance of Funding – Ministry Business Plan Submission

SOLS has submitted its 2010/11 business plan to the Ministry of Tourism and Culture. Business planning is an annual process that involves discussion with Ministry staff on SOLS’ plans, briefing of the Minister and ultimately ministerial approval. As always, the plan is based on flatlined grants which, coupled with inflation, places considerable pressure on SOLS to maintain core programs. All told, by 2011/12 we will have an operating deficit of just under $190,000 which is forecast to escalate to $1.16 million 2014/15. To address this anticipated shortfall and stabilize our core services, we submitted a separate business case for an increase to our base operating grant of approximately $300,000 beginning in 2011/12. This business case also addresses pressing library needs in order to provide equitable access to library services and to electronic resources. SOLS is seeking an additional increase of $500,000 to address those needs.
 
Assurance of Funding – MPP Visits

At the June meeting the Board developed a plan for visiting all MPPs in SOLS’ service area and nine visits were completed over the summer. At the October meeting, the Board agreed to target visits with MPPs who are members of the Standing Committee on Estimates or the Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs and to participate in the Government’s Pre-Budget Consultations. At this meeting, they also identified Parliamentary Assistants in key financial ministries, opposition critics and other key MPPs.
 
The focus of the visits remains the issue of longstanding flatlined operating budgets. Flatlining, coupled with inflation, erodes SOLS’ budget by 3% each year resulting in cuts to services. We have lost ten positions over the last five years and are already down to core business. Without a base increase, we will have no option in 2011/12 but to cut core services again and/or introduce new user fees (such as for delivery). At the Pre-Budget Consultation and with the pending visits, we are asking for a base increase using the specific figures identified in 2010/11 business plan and business case.
 
Assurance of Funding – Other Target Groups

The Board also considered whether there are other influential people or groups that it should target with the message about SOLS’ financial situation. The Board agreed to visit the five members of AMO’s Executive Committee. Further discussion of possible target groups and strategies is scheduled for the June Board meeting at which time we should know our budget for the 2010/11 fiscal year.
 
Linkage Development – OSUM (Ontario Small Urban Municipalities) Conference

SOLS will be participating in the trade show at the OSUM conference to be held in Stratford in May. As with the AMO conference, the purpose of our participation is to raise the profile of SOLS with municipal decision-makers and the MPPs who attend the conference. This will be the third year that we have had a booth at OSUM. As with MPPs and AMO, the focus of our message this year will be the impact of longstanding flatlined operating budgets and the need for a base increase in 2011/12 to stabilize our core services.
 
Linkage Development – Trustee Councils

At the fall Trustee Council meetings, the Board presented SOLS’ financial situation and provided a one page summary for Council members to use with their own boards and their local MPPs. At the February meeting, the Board agreed to continue the messaging on SOLS’ financial situation and provide a summary targeting other groups, such as municipal councilors, for trustees to use locally (document follows the summary).
 
Election at Trustee Council 2

An election will be held at the Trustee Council 2 meeting this spring to fill the vacancy left by the resignation of Sandy French from Halton Hills. Election information will be distributed with the TC2 agenda.
 
Invitation to the Minister of Tourism and Culture to Meet with SOLS Board

The Board was very pleased to meet with the Minister of Culture at its February 2009 meeting. With the appointment of a new Minister and in accordance with our Memorandum of Understanding which says that “The Minister is responsible for meeting with the Board annually”, we have sent a welcome letter to Minister Chan and invited him to attend the June 2010 Board meeting.

Operations Plan Update

An update on SOLS’ services is available in the "About SOLS" section of the SOLS website.
 
Next Board Meeting

The next meeting of SOLS’ Board is scheduled for Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12, 2010 at SOLS’ office in Toronto.

Role and Challenges

Ontario public libraries are created by municipal by-law and governed by boards appointed by municipal council. SOLS is established at the provincial level by Minister’s Order as a special library service board. Our services are provided to the 192 library systems in southern Ontario with some services available province-wide. SOLS’ overriding consideration is that the people of Ontario will have equitable access to library services.
 
Supporting Government Priorities
Libraries support the Government’s priorities in several ways. Here are a few examples.
 
Education

  • Libraries serve young children. The library is where they first learn to read - which is the basis of their future literacy skills and educational achievement.
  • Libraries serve students. The public library is where they go (in person or online) after school and on weekends to study and access resources.

Economy

  • Libraries assist job seekers. They use the library to upgrade skills, search for suitable jobs, prepare resumes and apply for jobs.
  • Libraries support businesses, especially small businesses, which rely on libraries to access information that they can’t afford to buy on their own.

Vibrant Communities

  • Libraries are community hubs. Newcomers, youth at risk, seniors and others connect to each other and to the resources that they need at the library.

SOLS’ Services
SOLS assists these libraries by:

  • Expanding the materials and resources libraries make available to their communities. Through our interlibrary loan service, libraries borrow over 226,000 items annually from other libraries. This figure grows about 5% every year. Interlibrary loan ensures that Ontarians have access to information even if their own library does not own it.
  • Supporting equitable access to electronic resources. Through grants from the Ministry of Culture, all Ontarians have free access to commercial databases through their libraries. SOLS’ services bridge the gap between the availability of the licenses and the public libraries’ awareness of and ability to use them. SOLS provides training sessions and is launching a website called Compass to support use and marketing of the products.
  • Helping libraries meet basic standards for library services. We know that about half of our client libraries are unable to meet basic standards for library service. These libraries are mostly small libraries under 30,000 population and First Nations libraries. SOLS assists individual libraries with policy development, planning, and training.
  • Developing the basic library skills of library staff and supporting their continuing education. SOLS provides distance education opportunities to ensure that all Ontarians have access to skilled, well informed, and up-to-date staff in their communities.
  • Delivering initiatives of the Ministry of Tourism and Culture such as a) the Internet Connectivity grant through which 216 libraries throughout the province receive high speed connectivity, b) the First Nations Consulting services which targets the specific needs of First Nations libraries and c) the $15million investment in public libraries.
  • Organizing economies of scale purchases of goods and services for collections including large print, talking books, ebooks, audiobooks and databases.

Challenges

Over the last ten years, SOLS has experienced either flatlined budgets or cuts to our operating grant. As a result of the budget cut in 2005/06, our operating grant dropped 17% to $2,755,905 where it still is today. The annual impact of inflation and rising costs for SOLS is currently $60,000. At $2.5 million, SOLS’ expenditures for salaries and benefits represent 91% of our operating grant. As a result, any strategy to mitigate the impact of flatlined grants coupled with inflation, must involve reductions to staff and reductions in our core services.
 
Over the last ten years total FTEs (full time equivalents) has dwindled by 28% (from 47.20 to 33.98). Our consulting support for small libraries has been particularly hard hit – dropping over 52% in five years from 14.5 FTEs in 2004/05 to 7 FTEs in 2009/10). In addition, SOLS receives a special grant from the Ministry of Tourism and Culture to support First Nation public libraries. The grant is currently set at $106,501 per year which will cover the expenses of the program in 2009/10 but will fall short after that.
 
All told, by 2011/12 we will have an operating deficit of $189,453 which is forecast to escalate to $1,160,460 by 2014/15. To address this anticipated shortfall and stabilize our core services, we will need an increase to our base operating grant of approximately $300,000 beginning in 2011/12.
 
We would like to go beyond that though. At the same time as we have been losing positions, small and First Nations libraries are unable to meet basic standards for library service and face new demands for providing electronic resources. To assist libraries to meet these challenges and ensure equitable access to library services for all Ontarians, SOLS proposes to restore consulting capacity, focusing on needs such as French language services and IT support, and to expand training opportunities in basic library skills, supervision, and electronic resources. To do so, we estimate needing five additional FTEs. Using $100,000 as the annual cost per position (includes salary, benefits and overhead), we would need a further increase to our base operating grant of $500,000.
 
In conclusion, we ask that the Ministry of Tourism and Culture recognize the difficulty of maintaining services within flatlined operating allocations over such an extended period and add $300,000 to our base operating grant to stabilize our core programs. To address pressing library needs, we are seeking an additional increase of $500,000 for a total increase in our base operating grant of $800,000.


15. SOLS CEO LISTSERV

SOLS maintains a list of all the e-mail addresses for SOLS CEOs. Several times through the month, you will receive messages from SOLS. This month, these messages were distributed through the SOLSCEO list:  

  •  On February 4th, Sue Walls sent a message regarding the changes to SOLS’ delivery service to take effect on March 29, 2010. More information is included in this issue of Signal.
  •  On February 10th, Barbara Franchetto sent a message regarding the information on Electronic information which will be needed to complete the 2009 Annual Survey. More information is included in this issue of Signal.
  •  On February 10th, Brenda Lewis sent a reminder message about a webinar on February 12th, 2010 regarding the Ontario Public library’s Master Agreement launch. This new Academic Select contract signed by Southern Ontario Library Service on behalf of SOLS and OLS-N will allow all Ontario’s Public libraries to benefit from advantageous pricing. While the date has passed, the pricing remains and more information is posted in the CPA section of the website.
  •  On February 12th, Barbara Franchetto sent a message regarding a new webinar series run by staff at OLS-North on Community Development. More information is posted on the OLS-North website.
  •  On February 26th, Brenda Lewis sent a message regarding the new CPA for Assistance Technology Products. More information on this CPA is included earlier in this edition of Signal.
  •  On March 2nd, Barbara Franchetto sent a forwarded message on behalf of the Ministry of Health regarding an upcoming mailing to all libraries in Ontario for Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Each library will receive Colon Cancer Check Brochures, Posters and Bookmarks with information designed to promote screening for colorectal cancers.

If you did not receive these messages, and would like further information, please contact the SOLS HelpDesk at 1-800-387-5765, extension 4, or by e-mail to .
 

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