Training

EXCEL is a practical, flexible, distance education program that provides an opportunity to acquire and develop core skills in areas of public library service

The Advancing Public Library Leadership (APLL) Institute is a two year certificate program designed to expand and advance the leadership capacity of public library CEOs and managers.

Accessibility is a crucial consideration for Ontario’s public libraries. CELA is proud to partner with OLS to offer free, enhanced accessibility training for libraries to support Ontarians with print disabilities. 

The “CELA Service in Ontario Public Libraries” certificate is open to library staff and volunteers at all service levels, and offered in both English and French. The program provides a comprehensive overview of CELA’s services in four, one hour-long recordings: 

• CELA Orientation 

• Educator Access Program 

• Accessible Reading Technologies, Devices, and Apps 

• Accessible Library Services for Kids and Teens  

Participants will learn about:

• CELA’s services and collection of over one million items in audio, e-text, and braille formats
• Print disabilities and who qualifies to use CELA’s services
• How to register a patron for a CELA account
• Accessible reading technologies and how to order books on behalf of patrons
• Tips to support patrons with print disabilities including programming tips for kids and teens’ activities.

A certificate will be provided by OLS upon completion of the program. 

Save The Date! The OLS Virtual Conference will take place on Wednesday, November 18, 2026. This year's theme is "Strengthen."

LearnHQ is the exclusive learning management system (LMS) used by the Ontario Library Service for delivery of educational courses, training programs, materials and learning and development programs. It is a registration-based system that is only available to those working and/or volunteering in an Ontario public library system, including library board members, public library leaders and staff, volunteers, and students.

The content on LearnHQ is developed to meet the operational and governance needs of public library systems and to support and empower the professional development and networking skills development of Ontario’s public libraries to continuously adapt and improve services to their unique communities.

Please visit www.learnhq.ca to register for an account and view an orientation video on how to navigate the system. If you have any further questions, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..