NEWSROOM
Second Notice – Annual General Meeting
Hello Members, The Annual General Meeting for the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries will take place virtually via Zoom on Friday, June 10th at 10:00am. Registration will begin at 9:30am. The Draft Agenda Package can be found on the website under AGM in the members section. Only members in good standing are eligible to attend and vote at the AGM. Registration is Required To attend the AGM, please register on Eventbrite. The zoom link to attend will be sent via Eventbrite after...
May 2022
As the election is less than a month away, most political parties have announced their platforms and commitments. Our hard work in the past 8 months is evident in the commitments made by the Liberal and NDP parties who have promised significant investments in public libraries and school libraries. Congratulations and thank you to all of our members who have advocated alongside FOPL and OLA. Below, we have summarized the various commitments to public libraries that each party has made. This...
Great News from OLS!
The Ontario Library Service (OLS) continues to work towards implementing the Connecting Public Libraries Initiative on behalf of the Province of Ontario. Last year, the government announced an investment of $4.85 million to upgrade high-speed internet at approximately 50 public libraries in unserved and underserved communities across the province. We are delighted to report that through the successful Request for Proposal (RFP) process, we will be able to upgrade 111 library locations, which...
FOPL Annual Info Series
The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries is pleased to announce a new annual info series. The info series will be comprised of four webinars which are free for our members that focus on furthering advocacy efforts of libraries across the province. The first two webinars, Building Partnerships with First Nations Public Libraries and Advocating for Development Charges, are live and available for registration. For more information on each session and for registration, please visit FOPL's...
Respectful Terminology: Creating a National Framework
The National Indigenous Knowledge and Language Alliance (NIKLA) will be hosting a webinar; Respectful Terminology: Creating the Framework. This national event is centered on identifying the next steps to develop a framework for respectful terminology. This free event is scheduled for Monday, May 2, 2022 at 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. EST. For registration and more information, visit the NIKLA website: https://www.nikla-ancla.com/post/respectful-terminology-creating-a-national-framework
Board Self-Evaluations and Assessment
There is a great new post from the OLS on board self-evaluations and assessments. It is the last year of board terms which makes it an ideal time for evaluations and assessments. It can act as a performance review for the board and provide insights to improve for the new incoming board. Take a look at the full post here: https://www.olservice.ca/blog/2022/03/24/board-self-evaluations-and-assessment/
March 2022 Update
We have had encouraging conversations with the Minister of Finance’s office this month. After our initial budget submission in February, we met with the MOF’s policy advisor, Eric Gallo-Miscevich, who requested a follow up meeting with FOPL and OLA to further discuss our priorities and budget asks. Mr. Gallo-Miscevich was engaged, interested, and asked a lot of great questions about the Ontario Digital Public Library and First Nations Public Library funding. We are hopeful that we will see...
Reminder to complete your 2021 Annual Survey of Public Libraries / Rappel final pour compléter votre enquête annuelle 2021 sur les bibliothèques publiques
Le francais suit Dear Public Library and First Nation Public Library CEOs: This is an important reminder to submit your 2021 Annual Survey of Public Libraries (ASPL) before the final deadline of April 30, 2022. Timely submission helps the Ministry to update and publish the Ontario Public Library Statistics, which supports policy work within government and provides key context for the Ontario public library sector’s planning activities. As you know, submission of a complete and accurate ASPL is...
Connecticut Introduces Library E-book Bill
An interesting article from Publishers Weekly; fair e-book pricing continues to make it's way around the USA, this time in Connecticut. Connecticut has become the latest state to introduce a library e-book bill, introducing bill 131 in its February session. The Connecticut bill is similar to efforts in other states now underway, in that it would require publishers who offer an e-book to consumers in the state to also offer to license the works to libraries on reasonable terms.
Ontario is Going to the Polls this June. Help Advocate for libraries!
The Ontario Provincial Election is a critical opportunity for the library sector to capture the attention of political parties and candidates & secure their support to address the critical gaps that continue to confront Ontario’s libraries and the many individuals and families across the province that depend on them. You can help advocate for libraries! There are lots of ways that your library can engage in the upcoming election to make sure that libraries are recognized for their...