Together We Read Ontario is now live ! From Oct. 15-29, our shared OverDrive site will have unlimited access to The Lightkeeper’s Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol at no extra cost. We’re joined by a number of other Ontario OverDrive libraries and systems,making this a truly province-wide event: Sudbury LOTG consortium Ottawa Burlington Mississauga Ajax […]
We’ve added a new Professional Resource page on LearnHQ on mobile Wifi hotspots – it’s got some basic tech information, examples of library programs and policies, and more. It’s amazing what these devices can do to bridge the digital divide, especially for those patrons who do not have internet access at home. Some libraries have asked […]
While travelling to a family wedding in Powell River this past weekend, I was able to spend a night in Sechelt on the Sunshine Coast with my cousin, Sherryl and her husband Mike. Sherryl is the Program and Outreach Coordinator at the Sechelt Public Library. I never miss a chance to check out libraries wherever […]
Have you had a chance to play with littleBits yet? It’s a system of electronic building blocks that snap together to “turn ideas into inventions”. (For more on how it all works, here’s a short TED talk on littleBits). Here’s what makes them ideal for both staff and patrons exploring STEM and STEAM: Magnetic – The bits […]
SOLS is pleased to announce that we have selected a title for Together We Read Ontario! The selected title is a finalist for the Northern Lit Awards as chosen by Ontario Library Service-North in partnership with Northern Ontario Public Libraries. From Oct. 15-29, the SOLS shared OverDrive collection and all participating Ontario public libraries will […]
We in the public library sector have, for some time now, been talking about the importance of continuous learning to doing what we do and doing it well. In order to be responsive and innovative in our services, we rely on staff being comfortable with uncertainty, willing to take calculated risks, and ready to learn […]
I’ve written two recent articles for Municipal World, highlighting how libraries support creative expression and health literacy in our communities. Feel free to share this information with your boards and municipal leaders!
Are you curious about creating a culture of learning at your library? Are you working towards a greater investment in staff development and training? Watch this video to meet Crystal Schimpf, the facilitator for the upcoming SOLS workshop “Sustainable Staff Development: 5 Steps to Creating a Culture of Learning” to be held on October 2 […]
Wondering how to get your staff on board with a new makerspace? We have a guest blog post from Chantale Boileau, Adult Services Librarian for Barrie Public Library (and about-to-be-APLL-grad), outlining Barrie’s approach to training and staff engagement: The Barrie Public Library (BPL) opened a makerspace called the Collaboratory (‘CoLab’ – a name voted on by staff) in December […]
Thank you to Ottawa Public Library for sharing their Readers’ Advisory modules with other public library staff across Ontario through the LearnHQ portal! These four modules, developed by Ottawa Public Library, provide information for public library staff on Readers’ Advisory with a focus on current trends in Juvenile Fiction. Click here to access the online […]