Like every other organization in the world, public libraries are frantically trying to plan for a future that is still very uncertain. Not only do we not know when we’ll get the green light from Provincial and local officials to re-open our buildings, we don’t know what it will look like when we do open […]
André Lépine is a Skills Development Advisor, Cataloguing and Collections at Ontario Library Service–North. As Ontario’s Declaration of Emergency remains in effect and libraries remain shuttered across the province, libraries are rapidly adapting their services, programs, and collections to the virtual environment in order to continue to meet community needs. Collections in particular are well-suited […]
As Ontario’s State of Emergency continues, and its list of essential services shrunk, additional workplaces have shut down, leaving countless workers, including those in public libraries, laid off, put on temporary leave, redeployed, or working from home. Obviously, none of these is an ideal situation for those workers whose jobs are designed to provide service […]
Ontario public libraries have been dabbling with virtual programming for several years, balancing in-person and online offerings. With physical library spaces closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, library staff are showing their flexibility and adjusting to the new reality with some very creative digital programming – both passive and active! As you read through these […]
Le français suit l’anglais. Many library systems and library staff members have taken the library closures as time to focus on professional development opportunities. We all know that training can often be difficult to fit in to a schedule full of programming or time spent at the service desk. Given that libraries will remain closed […]
As a result of the Province’s latest emergency order, more and more public library employees – management, administrative and frontline – are now working from home. While libraries closed to the public more than a week ago, some staff continued to report to work, while practicing social distancing in the workplace. The latest measures from […]
Erin Kernohan-Berning, Branch Services Librarian for Haliburton County Public Library, takes a few minutes out of her busy schedule to tell us about an important new collection and the collaborative work behind it. This year, Haliburton County Public Library is proud to launch our Mental Health & Wellbeing collection. This project had been percolating for […]
These are tough times to work in public service, including libraries. As an institution rooted in its enduring mission to be, in part, a welcoming community space for everyone who walks through the door, today’s public library comes face to face with society’s most challenging social issues. It is incumbent upon library leaders to take […]
Hello library world, Ever stop to think about the local community information referrals you have readily at your fingertips? Have you ever wondered – where does this amazing information come from? Well, welcome to Information and Referral (I&R) story time – so get comfy, grab your cup of coffee/tea, gather your fellow library workers and […]
Stratford Public Library CEO, Julia Merritt explains the library’s edgy new campaign. As the adage goes, “perception is reality”. Not being seen and not being heard are serious threats facing libraries. We at Stratford Public Library feel we cannot afford to be complacent. Period. Full Stop. Get off the complacency train. Taking control of the […]