Meet the team! Check back each month to learn more about the people who help the Ontario Library Service provide seamless access to programs and services that strengthen all public libraries in Ontario. Name: Peggy Malcolm Position: Consultant As many of you know, I have worked for the OLS […]
In 1970, the Canadian rock group Five Man Electrical Band released the song “Signs, Signs, Everywhere a Sign”… I guarantee you’re singing it in your head right now! Now this post is not about whether hippies with long hair should apply for work, but about the vast array of signs that I have noticed at […]
I have been thinking about the use of the word ‘budget’ in the public library world. That is, not the use of the word budget as it refers to the document used to track expected revenues and expenses each year, but the use of the word budget in relation to the financial support of the […]
Public libraries in Ontario have followed the same provincial legislation since 1984, with a few minor changes. Our role at the Ontario Library Service is to help library board members and staff members sort out the framework for library service within this legislation. Section 3 (3) of the Public Libraries Act states that “A public […]
On September 18th, the Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries released the form for “One Week Survey of Public Library Use”; a survey better known as the “Typical Week Survey”. This information is collected during a week without a statutory holiday in October, November or the first part of December. The information collected […]
Updated: September 4, 2020 | Mise à jour: 4 septembre 2020 Le français suit l’anglais. This blog is meant to be an overview of the legislation related to Emergency Orders and Declared Emergency Leave. Given the complexity of the legislation, for further clarification, please consult with your own legal advisors. I think that we […]
Le français suit l’anglais. It appears that library programs will continue to be offered in virtual formats for some time. Virtual formats bring their own challenges, especially around copyright permissions. A recent blog posted on the Association for Library Services to Children (ALSC) website, titled “Pausing to Talk about Copyright” got me thinking about virtual […]
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 […]
The Annual Survey of Public Libraries has been open in the GO-Secure platform since the end of April. To date, staff at 52 libraries in southern Ontario have taken the time to complete the survey… so at this point, we are looking for about 130 more surveys from libraries as well as a number from […]
The SOLS shared OverDrive collection saw record growth in many ways last year. Here’s an update + what to expect in 2017: 2016 saw the highest number of checkouts to date, at 2,207,426. This was one of the highest annual checkout totals for any system in North America, and daily usage averages 21,000+ visits per […]