Advocacy

We have received our first response back from the NDP Party to our survey, asking parties and candidates if they support public library priorities and budget requests. We will be publishing the surveys as they are received from the parties. Election Survey - Ontario Library Association Federation of Ontario Public Libraries- NDP Responses

MEDIA RELEASE Election 2025: Ontario’s Public Libraries Urge All Parties to Support Public Libraries and Empower Local Communities ______________________________________________________________________ MEAFORD, ON – As the Ontario provincial election campaign enters its second half, the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries is urging all political parties and candidates to demonstrate and pledge their support for public libraries in…

Ontario’s snap election has us all reeling so FOPL and OLA have partnered to help take the stress off, at least when it comes to libraries. The Elections Toolkit has been revised so that IF you have the opportunity to engage with your local candidates, you have some items in your back pocket to fall…

Hope you’re all keeping warm during this cold snap! We’ve been busy over at FOPL and I have a few updates to share. This week we submitted our Pre-Budget Submission for the 2025-26 budget cycle to the Ministry of Finance (here). The document highlights the need for increased funding and support for public libraries through…

A shadow war is unfolding in Canadian communities, targeting libraries and 2SLGBTQ+ books. In Valleyview, Alberta, local youth and advocates, like Theo Robertson, are fighting to protect safe spaces in their library amidst political opposition. As book challenges and censorship rise across Canada, fueled by misinformation, communities like Valleyview are divided over 2SLGBTQ+ representation. The…

This new study explores the advocacy efforts of three key national library associations: the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), and the Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA). From copyright reform to funding issues, these organizations are shaping the future of libraries and their vital role in society.  …

2024 was a pivotal year for Canadian libraries, as they faced growing challenges in intellectual freedom, censorship, and community engagement. From book bans to international advocacy events, libraries have become central to cultural conversations. Looking ahead to 2025, fostering freedom of expression and inclusive access to information will remain key priorities for libraries as they…

The year 2023 was another record-breaker for book bans. The American Library Association’s (ALA) Office for Intellectual Freedom (OIF) documented1,247 attempts to censor library books and other materials—most of which were works by or about people of color, members of the LGBTQ community, or both. Since these attempts often target multiple items, OIF recorded 4,240…

Join the Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) in letting the provincial government know that every student in Ontario deserves a properly funded and staffed school library! In April 2024, the Ministry of Education released its new education funding model which eliminated the only protected funding envelope for school library staff and resources. Teacher-Librarians, previously considered…

The biggest news of course is the latest cabinet shuffle resulted in major changes for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and (now) Gaming. Early last month the province announced that the Hon. Stan Cho would become the new Minister for Tourism and Culture, retaining his OLG responsibilities from his previous ministry. The sport portfolio was…

In the ongoing efforts to safeguard the right to read in America, significant strides have been achieved, yet challenges persist with ongoing attacks on the First Amendment and the foundational principles of libraries. ALA's resolution on intellectual freedom serves as a thorough overview outlining the pressing issues. It stands as a testament to the unwavering…

I’m exceptionally pleased to share with all of you that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport will be providing additional funding for First Nations Public Libraries! An additional investment of 1.25 million per year for a total of 3.75 million over three years will be allocated through the First Nations Salary Supplement and Provincial…