In preparation for the 2026 municipal elections, the OLS hosted a three‑part webinar series focused on strengthening municipal relationships. Each session featured a key library stakeholder from a different system, who shared practical insights, collaborative strategies, and proven approaches for building strong, sustainable connections between libraries and their municipalities.
The sessions were delivered in an interview format, with an OLS staff member guiding the conversation. Speakers discussed their personal experiences in the library sector, described what effective municipal relationships look like from their perspective, and offered scalable actions that other libraries could adopt. Participants were then invited to ask additional questions during an open Q&A period.
This series has been one of our most popular offerings in recent years, drawing more than 250 registrants across all three webinars. While the sessions were not recorded, we have prepared a summary highlighting the key takeaways from each discussion.
First up was Tara Roy-DiClemente, a four-term Councillor with the Town of East Gwillimbury. Tara’s municipal involvement began when she joined the Board of the East Gwillimbury Public Library as a volunteer trustee in 2007. Following that board term, she was first elected to Council in 2010 and has served as Trustee and Council Liaison to the library board for several years. A passionate library advocate, Councillor Roy-DiClemente has chaired every major Committee of Council, making her uniquely qualified to help position Libraries within the Municipal context.
Tara shared her practical experience and valuable insights as a board member, particularly in building strong relationships with municipal partners. From understanding fiduciary responsibilities to advocating for the library within the broader community, Tara’s perspective had a meaningful impact on attendees. Tara’s advice to library leaders during this election season was to approach key members of the community who continuously support the library and encourage them to join the board before the positions are vacant, to ensure the best possible candidates fill those positions.
As a rapidly growing community in Ontario, East Gwillimbury has made significant strides in strengthening its library system in recent years. The newly opened Queensville branch in the Health and Active Living Centre, a project Tara passionately supported, highlights the important role libraries can play within mixed-use community spaces.
In May, we hosted Shelley McKay, the Manager of Communications at the Hamilton Public Library. Shelley leads strategic communications, public engagement, and brand development across the library system. She plays a key role in building strategic partnerships and promoting the library’s services, programs, and impact, to ensure awareness throughout the Hamilton community.
As a communications professional, Shelley approaches municipal relations from a unique angle compared to our other presenters. While her day-to-day interactions with city staff might be less frequent than those of a library CEO or municipal councillor, she emphasized the vital need for regular communication with key municipal stakeholders. To build strong relationships and deep trust, she focuses on anticipating needs, keeping all parties well-informed, and eliminating surprises.
To achieve this, Shelley explained that the library shares their newsletters with councillors. This keeps them updated on upcoming programs, presenters, or even planned construction within their wards, ensuring they are never caught off guard by constituent inquiries. Additionally, Shelley discussed the library’s role during municipal, provincial, and federal elections, highlighting it as a non-partisan resource for both voters and candidates. To support the community during these times, the library hosts speakers on key civic issues and equips staff with the tools and knowledge needed to direct the public to reliable election resources.
In June we spoke with Karthi Rajamani, CEO of the Pembroke Public Library. Since stepping into the role in 2016, Karthi has transformed the library into a vibrant, inclusive community hub where everyone feels welcome. Originally a teacher in India, Karthi brings a lifelong passion for education, literacy, and cultural diversity. Her experience spans public, academic, and special libraries, giving her a broad perspective and strong foundation in innovative library service and leadership.
Karthi pointed out that good relationships start internally – by creating a strong organizational culture within the library first, one can then turn to the board and municipality to show how the library, collectively, is a strong community partner.
Karthi discussed that as a library CEO, but also as a member of the community for over 20 years, she has been able to identify key municipal priorities, such as economic development and tourism, and developed library programs and partnerships in alignment with these priorities. The demonstration of success to the board and council has led to increased support and engagement with the library, allowing them to grow these programs, like their Multicultural Festival, and to continue to positively impact the community.
Karthi’s final thoughts about building relationships with your municipality can be summed up in four words: “no attitude, no ego.”
Every one of us plays a meaningful role in building and sustaining strong relationships with our municipalities, regardless of our job title or where we sit in the organization. These connections don’t just happen—they grow through consistent communication, shared goals, and a clear understanding of how libraries contribute to community well‑being.
If you’re looking for practical strategies or fresh ideas to deepen your library’s partnership with local government, explore the OLS Municipal Relations resource. It offers guidance, tools, and examples to help you strengthen those essential relationships and advocate effectively for your library.