News & Updates

An invitation from Sali Lafrenie at LAC to their lecture series co-hosted with Carleton University, available via streaming or in person for the national capital region. The Shannon Lectures in History will host speaker Emily Guerrero and they will talk about taking gossip seriously as an information practice. Emily currently works as a community librarian.…

Listen as Dina Stevens kicks off Ontario Public Library Week by getting loud for libraries on the CBC.   https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-158-london-morning/clip/16243872-the-deeper-importance-libraries

CFLA policy update: Understanding Canadian law governing hate CFLA formed a task force to develop guidance for library workers about laws governing hate in Canada and to support libraries in responding to complaints about speakers, room bookings or items in their collections. The vast majority of the time, complaints about hate publications or speech in…

A recording of the webinar “The Erosion of Local Governance with Dr. Bill Irwin” is available for members in the member dashboard. You can find it under events, linked directly here: https://fopl.ca/member-dashboard/events/

Ontario’s municipal elections are taking place on Monday, October 26, 2026, and FOPL and the Ontario Library Association (OLA) are encouraging public libraries across the province to help spread the word. We have created a set of ready-to-use Election Day graphics for libraries to share through their social media channels, websites, newsletters, digital screens, and…

A recording of the webinar "Intellectual Freedom and Bill 28 with Bill Turk" is available for members in the member dashboard. You can find it under events, linked directly here: https://fopl.ca/member-dashboard/events/  

CFLA opens Canadian Library Month 2026 by affirming that libraries across Canada stand together to defend the public’s right to read, a right that must not be limited by age or by government opinion. Legislative changes in Alberta have brought renewed attention to the need to fight censorship and surveillance in our libraries, and we must work together to ensure…

With Ontario’s municipal election approaching on October 26, 2026, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) has released a new series of practical resources to help communities inform, engage and encourage more people to participate in local elections. Developed by AMO and Toronto Metropolitan University as part of AMO’s Healthy Democracy Project, the resources include…

FOPL Executive Director Dina Stevens recently joined Michelle Arbuckle on the Library Land Loves podcast for a timely conversation about Ontario’s upcoming municipal elections and what they mean for public libraries. In the episode, “Municipal Election Talk with FOPL’s Dina Stevens,” Dina reflects on conversations with municipal leaders at the recent AMO Conference and discusses…

FOPL will be hosting a Zoom info session on Tues October 6, 1:00-2:30, The Erosion of Local Governance and the Implications for Public Libraries with Bill Irwin.  A full description follows. Please register in order to access the info session.  Registration is FREE for full FOPL member libraries - their staff and boards.  Zoom link…

The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) welcomes the Honourable Zee Hamid to his new role as Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Gaming. Minister Hamid was appointed to the portfolio on September 10 as part of changes to Ontario’s Executive Council. The Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming is an important partner for Ontario’s…

Public libraries have long been committed to intellectual freedom and to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces for everyone. Increasingly, however, libraries are finding themselves at the centre of political and cultural debates that challenge these fundamental principles. FOPL invites library staff and board members to join us for an important virtual information session examining Alberta’s Bill…