FOPL at the AMO Conference
FOPL will be attending the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference in Ottawa next week, where we will once again have a booth in the conference trade show.
AMO is an important opportunity for FOPL to connect directly with municipal leaders from across the province and reinforce the essential role public libraries play in their communities. We’ll be speaking with delegates about the value of strong, well-supported public libraries and building relationships that support our ongoing municipal and provincial advocacy.
If you are attending AMO, please stop by the FOPL booth and say hello!
New Advocacy Resource: Local Library Governance & Intellectual Freedom
FOPL and the Ontario Library Association (OLA) have developed a new advocacy resource highlighting the importance of local library governance and intellectual freedom.
Developed in part as a proactive response to developments such as Alberta’s Bill 28, the resource reinforces a fundamental principle: decisions about public library collections and services should remain local, transparent and accountable, guided by strong library boards, professional expertise and the needs of the communities libraries serve.
The postcard, Local Libraries. Local Decisions, also highlights the many ways public libraries contribute to their municipalities—from literacy and workforce development to digital inclusion, community well-being and local democracy.
We encourage members to share the postcard with their library boards and use it to start conversations about the importance of protecting intellectual freedom, independent library governance and local decision-making.
Download the Local Library Governance & Intellectual Freedom advocacy postcard
Get Ready for Ontario’s 2026 Municipal Elections
With Ontario’s municipal elections approaching this fall, now is an important time for public libraries to build relationships with candidates and help ensure libraries are part of the local conversation.
FOPL and OLA have developed Questions for Candidates: Ontario’s 2026 Municipal Elections, a resource designed to help library supporters engage candidates in meaningful conversations about public and school libraries.
The resource includes suggested questions about the role libraries play in community well-being, municipal investment in libraries, intellectual freedom, and the importance of respecting the autonomy and governance role of public library boards. It also includes a larger question bank that libraries and library supporters can draw from when attending candidate events or engaging candidates in their communities.
Explore the 2026 Municipal Elections resources:
2026-Questions-for-Candidates_Ontario-Municipal-Elections-OLA-FOPL
We also encourage libraries and library boards to share the Local Libraries. Local Decisions postcard directly with municipal election candidates.
The postcard was designed not only as a resource for library boards, but also as a simple way to introduce candidates to some of the fundamental principles of Ontario’s public library system: strong local governance, intellectual freedom, equitable access to information and the important role libraries play in building strong communities.
Municipal elections provide an important opportunity to educate future councilors about public libraries before they arrive at the council table. Whether through candidate meetings, all-candidates events, community events or individual conversations, we encourage members to use these resources to make libraries part of the discussion.
Building Relationships with New Ministry Leadership
There have also been important leadership changes at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming, including the appointment of Doug Downey as Minister and a new Assistant Deputy Minister.
FOPL has initiated outreach to the new leadership team and is seeking opportunities to meet and introduce our organization, Ontario’s public library sector and our key advocacy priorities.
These changes also provide an opportunity to renew conversations on longstanding priorities. FOPL is currently developing its fall advocacy strategy and plans to resume discussions with the Ministry on the Ontario Digital Public Library, along with other priorities affecting public libraries across the province.
We will continue to keep members informed as these conversations progress and will share opportunities for libraries and library boards to support our advocacy efforts throughout the fall.