It is with great sadness that I have to inform public libraries in southern Ontario that the SOLS delivery service will permanently cease to operate, effective April 26th, 2019. I know this is very sad and disappointing news but given the enormity of the cut to our operating budget, there is no alternative. Even under […]
On Thursday April 11th, the 2019 Ontario Budget was tabled in the provincial legislature. On Friday April 12th, I was informed by the Ministry that the SOLS budget would be reduced by just over 50%. This is a substantial cut which must be absorbed in the current 2019-20, fiscal year. Valued services will have to […]
SOLS is pleased to join BiblioBoard, Library Journal and other Ontario libraries for the Ontario Author Project contest. Part of the North American “Indie Author” project, the contest seeks the best indie published eBooks in each participating region. The Ontario Author Project gives librarians a chance to engage with a growing group of fresh literary […]
We’re pleased to repost an article from Hamilton Public Library about their “Ask Me” translation service, which offers help to customers in more than 180 languages! Demande-moi. Chiedimi. Frag Mich. If Hamilton Public Library staff don’t speak your language, we’ll find someone who can, in a hurry. Collectively, HPL staff fluently speak 21 languages, from […]
After the recent sale of Archambaut’s MaBiblioNumérique French Ebook platform to DeMarque, all data from the SOLS shared French ebook collection has been successfully migrated to DeMarque’s platform, Cantook Station. An overview of the new platform is available here: My new library on Cantook Station Set-up information has been sent to all member libraries of […]
SOLS is excited to announce that the Librarian’s Guide to Homelessness is now available on LearnHQ. Course creator Ryan Dowd recently presented to a packed room at the OLA Super Conference. This online course provides a deeper dive into the topics covered in the in-person session. Ryan runs the second-largest homeless shelter in Illinois and […]
Toronto Public Library (TPL) has revitalized — and renamed — our Ontario-facing site formerly known as the Virtual Reference Library (Prince reference not intended). It’s now: Digital Archive Ontario. You can access it on LearnHQ. The updated name reflects the site’s increased emphasis on historical digital collections. Started in 1999, the site has changed over time — it […]
We are proud to announce the launch of the new LearnHQ! LearnHQ is a one-stop shop for library training. You can start online courses, register for upcoming webinars and workshops, and browse a wealth of online resources. The portal features training from SOLS, OLS-N, OLA, FOPL, libraries and other partners. The new LearnHQ is waiting […]
We’re starting the year off by sharing an article that originally appeared in Hoopla . Rosie Krul, Palmerston Branch Supervisor at the Wellington County Library, writes about using Mango Languages as an ESL tool, in partnership with Settlement Services. Mango is one of many popular items in our Provincial E-resources licensing collection. Over the past year, there […]
Free coding books? Yes, thanks to the CanCode Program from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Canada! The CanCode program is investing $50 million over two years to provide educational opportunities for coding and digital skills development to Canadian youth (K-12). One of their many funded initiatives is TakingIT Global’s “Code to Learn” program. […]