This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

The CFLA National Forum is an opportunity for library people from across Canada to gather and discuss library advocacy at a national level. The morning's schedule is as follows:

• 8:30 AM: Light Refreshments
• 9 AM: Welcome and Opening Remarks
• 9:15 AM: Panel Discussion on Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities for Library Associations 
• 10:00 AM: CFLA Advocacy
• 10:45 AM: Workshop: Issues of National Importance in Libraries with CFLA-FCAB Committees

This is a Pre-Conference workshop and has an additional fee of $50 per participant to cover the cost of workshop materials and light refreshments. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. This pre-conference workshop will be taking place offsite at the University of Toronto, St. George campus. Attendees will be responsible for their transportation to and from this offsite pre-conference workshop.  

Resource Description and Access (RDA) is an international cataloguing standard. With its 3000+ elements, the official RDA Toolkit supports many applications. Application profiles specify which elements to record in your catalogue. This workshop teaches participants about RDA through constructing an application profile. This “learning by creating” approach will deepen participants’ knowledge of RDA and strengthen appreciation for existing application profiles. Designed for cataloguing educators, supervisors, and trainers familiar with the official RDA Toolkit, this workshop is led by Canadian librarians connected with the RDA Steering Committee and Program for Cooperative Cataloging. With the original RDA Toolkit set to be decommissioned in May 2027, this workshop provides a timely bridge to the official RDA Toolkit. This is a full day, in-person workshop located at the University of Toronto downtown campus. Attendance is capped at 25 participants.

Using a retrospective look at our academic library’s Science Literacy Week programming from 2019 to present as our focal point, this session will discuss working collaboratively, across teams of librarians and library technicians, to execute an intensive week-long annual outreach event. We have experimented with active and passive programming ideas and external partnerships, engaging college and university populations simultaneously. In this session we will share the programming criteria and strategies we have refined. We will discuss challenges that can also serve as opportunities, such as staff capacity issues leading to improved inter-team collaboration. In this workshop, participants will analyze case study examples and brainstorm strategies to use at their own libraries to navigate common pitfalls and implement successful outreach programs. Finally, the discussion will open up questions about how we, in our workplaces, strategically impart knowledge to build bridges between different teams and library staff with varying levels of experience.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

This session will help you to gain the advocacy skills that you need to craft persuasive messages and strategies that will influence politicians, decision-makers, colleagues and partners. You will learn to identify key issues and connect them to the priorities of others to ensure that your voice and your solutions are heard and acted upon.

This tour requires pre-registration and has an additional cost of $60 per participant. 

This tour will leave from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre at 10:00AM and will return by 2:00PM. The tour will include two Toronto Public Library branches that are thriving in malls: Bridlewood and Maryvale. Please ensure that you bring some snacks with you as we will be not stopping for lunch. Some refreshments will be provided during the tour.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Through facilitator presentation, individual reflection, dyads, small and large group interactions, participants will learn and practice strategies to strengthen their presence and impact in order to develop trust and bridge confidently with stakeholders inside their organizations and beyond.

Please note that this tour requires pre-registration.

Always wanted to see what happens at the Toronto International Film Festival library? Well, now is the time! TIFF is offering several opportunities for attendees of the OLA Super Conference to tour the TIFF Library. Please note that the TIFF Library is approximately 10 minutes' walk away from the conference centre.

For those unable to attend an official OLA Super Conference tour, you may still visit the TIFF Library during your time in Toronto. Library hours are from 10am-5pm Monday to Friday. 

This is a Pre-Conference meetup. Pre-registration is required.

Join OLA's Community-Led Libraries Committee for an Open Space Conversation focused on the wins and challenges of community-led library work from across the Province. In this pre-conference workshop, attendees will be able to connect, network, learn, and share information about community-led practices, collaboratively arriving at areas of discussion that have importance for them and their communities in a supportive and dynamic environment. By using an open space conversation method of engagement in the workshop itself, pre-conference attendees will be exposed to a community-led tool while engaging in the process of co-design and leadership.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.

Is your library's strategic plan gathering dust on a shelf? Transform your annual planning process by integrating the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework—a dynamic approach used by leading organizations to bridge the gap between lofty goals and day-to-day operations. In this engaging, two-hour workshop, we'll demystify OKRs and demonstrate how they can revolutionize the way libraries set goals, track progress, and achieve strategic alignment. Through interactive activities and real-world examples tailored to the library sector, you'll learn how to create meaningful OKRs that energize your team, foster accountability, and drive measurable results. Join us to discover how OKRs can make your strategic plan a living document that inspires action and delivers impact.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. This pre-conference workshop will be taking place offsite at the Toronto Reference Library. Attendees will be responsible for their transportation to and from this offsite pre-conference workshop. 

Join us for a practical and hands-on workshop on assistive and accessible reading technologies. This workshop will provide an overview of some key assistive and mainstream technologies that people with lived experience with various print disabilities use to access and read the content and resources that libraries offer. Led by people with lived experience of a disability, the workshop will offer demonstrations and hands-on learning of the sometimes complicated and confusing landscape of assistive and accessible reading technologies, including screen readers, switches, magnifiers, refreshable braille displays, ebook and audiobook readers and more. The workshop will also highlight some of the common accessibility barriers that exist to reading in both the digital and physical landscapes. This workshop aims to provide library staff with practical knowledge that they can take back to their library to better meet the reading needs of people with print disabilities in their own communities.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. 

The main goal of this workshop is to instruct attendees on how The ArQuives, Canada’s 2SLBTQIA+ Archive, plans and conducts engaging workshops and events for their patrons. This workshop will use past successful Zine workshops as a framework, with participants of this workshop will be able to create their own zines and take home a workshop toolkit zine. The demonstration will inform attendees why tailored programming that activates an organization’s collections is essential in strengthening community bonds. As a supplemental item, the zine offers an inclusive and adjustable toolkit for attendees to begin planning and implementing programming which activates their library collections and is tailored to the communities they serve.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. 

Learning through making develops a creative practice that stimulates the mind-body connection, while also building bridges to engage in creative ways to learn and teach. In this workshop for beginners, participants will make a commonplace notebook and a flagbook (materials provided). Commonplace books are collaged DIY notebooks, put together quickly with paper and glue, designed to be a customized place for brainstorming, note-taking, observations, ice-breakers, etc. Flagbooks are interactive and adaptable for a variety of purposes including creating a personal archive, a tool for teaching vocabulary, geography, and math, or an abstract piece of art. Taking time to step away from our screens and use our hands and minds in different ways allows us to build connections between materiality and content while also importantly, build connections/bridges to others as we work by ourselves but together; the process of bookmaking invites quiet reflection as well as conversation between makers.

This is a Pre-Conference meetup. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. 

This session is open to staff who work in collections departments in public libraries. It is an opportunity for us to come together and discuss the many topics and issues common to our work. Come learn from your peers on many important theses that we deal with regularly: digital collections, staffing, processing, self/AI published works, non-print formats, and everything else we can fit into the time.

This is a Pre-Conference workshop. Space is limited and pre-registration is required. 

In this interactive workshop, participants are guided through a Story Drama, or immersive storytelling experience, where they dramatize a picture book. The book “Dark Cloud” by Anna Lazowski, will be read in segments, where the storyteller stops periodically to use drama, movement, writing, and music exercises to investigate character perspectives and choices, build environments, and explore present themes. Participants will use movement, tableau, writing in role, role play, improvisation, poetry, large and small group collaboration, and more to experience the story rather than listen to it as passive audience members. The drama unfolds as the story unfolds. This workshop offers step-by-step guidance to successfully implement Story Drama into regular storytelling sessions for groups of all ages. Additionally, participants will be provided a collection of 15+ Story Drama exercises that elevate and activate storytelling using rich picture books, and a sample unit plan with Ontario Curriculum connections.

Please note that this tour requires pre-registration.

Always wanted to see what happens at the Toronto International Film Festival library? Well, now is the time! TIFF is offering several opportunities for attendees of the OLA Super Conference to tour the TIFF Library. Please note that the TIFF Library is approximately 10 minutes' walk away from the conference centre.

For those unable to attend an official OLA Super Conference tour, you may still visit the TIFF Library during your time in Toronto. Library hours are from 10am-5pm Monday to Friday. 

This is a pre-conference workshop and requires pre-registration.

Every library has an amazing story to tell about their contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Whether you are a small public library or a large consortium of academic libraries, your library is contributing. By telling your story, you are advocating and marketing the work that is making an impact on your community and inspiring others.  

In this workshop, participants will learn how libraries can demonstrate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals through storytelling. We will begin with an explanation of the SDGs, followed by a description of the International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) Library Map of the World. Next, three librarians will tell the story of how their library’s work advances the SDGs. Finally, IFLA Impact Trainer Kimberly Silk will guide participants in how they can tell their library’s story. Participants will receive resources for librarians who are interested in their story being curated for the Library Map of the World. Bring a draft or even a kernel of an idea to the workshop in order to work with others to flesh out the story.

This is a pre-conference workshop and space is limited. Please pre-register through this link to save your seat.

New to the library and information sector? Or in a technician, IT, HR, or policy role and finding your way through the library sector? Connect with sector leaders and others at the Sparking Forum, generously funded by the Maggie Weaver Legacy Fund. Gain leadership insights from the Fire-side Chat with Sarah Downey, President & CEO at Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). 

Join us for the opening evening of the OLA Super Conference, where Librarian and Archivist of Canada Leslie Weir will interview Sarah Downey, Executive Director of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) and Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library (TPL). 

Venez découvrir les défis d’avoir une petite équipe avec une très grande collection dans la bibliothèque Jean-Léon-Allie. Depuis la pandémie, l’université Saint-Paul, est passé d’une semaine de travail de 28h pour les employées à temps plein sauf que notre bibliothèque est ouverte 7 jours par semaine pendant les sessions d’automne et hiver. De plus, notre collection qui a plus d’un demi-million de volumes circule plus que jamais avec le partenariat entre bibliothèque de l’Ontario (Collaborative Futures) et les demandes de numérisations. Cette présentation s’inclinera sur les défis et les réajustements que nous avons dû faire pour continuer nos services avec le moins d’interruptions possible.

Library workers are invited to a two-part discussion (Thursday morning and Friday morning) about how you and your institution respond to world shaping events like Israel’s military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. As libraries deliver core services - information literacy, collections development, library space, etc. - should library workers be free to reflect on troubling global realities in their work product and speak to these concerns in their day-to-day work lives?

The following themes will be used as discussion prompts:  

• Neutrality - Do personal beliefs have a place in library work? Is neutrality ever possible? 
• Avoidance - Do contentious conversations take place where you work? Should they? 
• Assumptions - Do you fill in the blanks about how your colleagues and students feel based on their identities?
• Actions - How do you respond to global conflict in your work? What do you wish you or your institution were doing?

This conversation will be governed by the Chatham House Rule.

Learning Objectives

• 1. Participants will leave the session able to compare their response to global conflict with those of other library workers.
• 2. Participants will leave the session able to compare their institution’s response to global conflict with those of other institutions.
• 3. Participants will leave the session able to describe how the OCULA EDI Community of Practice provides an opportunity to engage in topics of critical importance to library professions.

Libraries employ numerous types of employees. Often the tendency is to divide these employees into two groups: librarians and library staff, which conflicts with the goals of expanding the diversity of library employees and building bridges to create more inclusive workplaces. We seek to explore the need to find a balance between grouping individuals collectively and recognizing their unique role differences.

Are you contemplating a leadership role in an academic library but unsure if it’s the right path for you? Join us for a discussion where we will explore the opportunities and challenges of leadership in academic libraries. This session aims to provide insights, share experiences, and offer practical advice to help you make an informed decision about pursuing a leadership role.

Academic library leaders from the University of Ottawa, University of Guelph, Seneca Polytechnic, Ontario Tech, and University of Toronto will share their diverse experiences—both positive and challenging—to provide you with a glimpse into leadership in an academic library.

This session will include a panel of current academic library leaders and group discussion.

In this session, Marie Henein will offer practical advice on how to build a meaningful career on your own terms. This session is designed for individuals at any stage of their career, and will offer valuable takeaways on maintaining professional integrity, building confidence, and growing your career with purpose.

It’s an exciting time at LAC! Join Leslie Weir, Librarian and Archivist of Canada, and her colleagues to learn more about exciting initiatives such as the landmark Ādisōke facility that will open next year in the heart of Ottawa, our innovative work with artificial intelligence, and everything else we’re doing to improve access to our collections.

In May 2015, a radio consultant referred to women as the “tomatoes” of the otherwise all-male country music salad when he advocated a practice of limiting their songs in on country radio playlists. This statement sparked immediate debate in the country music industry and planted the seed of an idea to study representation in the country music industry in the mind of musicologist Dr. Jada Watson. Drawing on skills developed in her Master of Information Studies degree, Watson embarked on a journey to investigate this so-called “tomato theory” that has led her to study radio programming, popularity charts, algorithmic recommender systems, award eligibility criteria and the cyclic relationship that emerges between of these systems. Through her public-facing research program SongData, Watson centers her work on addressing systemic inequity and working with industry partners to advocate for meaningful change in the US and Canadian industries. In this talk, Watson will bring us on a journey from MIS to SongData and share how she uses her information degree to hold the industry accountable.

Digital special collections can serve as powerful tools to "enrich, capture, store and disseminate" community conversations (R.D. Lankes). However, partnerships with communities raise complex legal, ethical, technical and professional questions that can easily frustrate even the best intentions. The University of Toronto Scarborough Library's Digital Scholarship Unit partners with diverse internal and community groups to create unique digital collections using the openly-licensed U of T Scarborough Partnership & Engagement Framework. Our poster provides practical tools for co-creating digital objects in common-shareable formats, examples from our experience, and guidance about using frameworks like U of T Scarborough's to support mutually beneficial, non-extractive collections development.

Libraries can become more welcoming places for all when they reflect, understand, and connect with their communities of users. Though recruiting a more diverse student body into the profession of librarianship is seen as one way to build these bridges, efforts to do so are not always successful. It is therefore encouraging that the student body of the undergraduate library internship course at *** has become more diverse since the course was first offered 2017, as many who register are exploring librarianship as a potential career path. Learn what factors might be influencing participation and consider how academic librarians’ connections with undergraduates could encourage greater inclusion of underrepresented backgrounds (e.g. minoritized groups, STEM disciplines) in librarianship. Ideally these efforts will help position libraries to connect with more diverse communities in informed and meaningful ways.

Our poster will explore the collaboration between two academic library departments—Access Services and Research Support Services—as they strive to make evidence-based decisions and better understand the types of questions received at their respective service points. The poster will provide an overview of each department, discuss the intersecting services as well as discuss how the following information is collected and for what purpose. The data includes: 1. Scholars Portal virtual chat data 2. LibInsight Research Help Desk data 3. Shared mailboxes: o AskTheLibrary email data o LibraryServices Jira Tickets The presentation will also highlight ways in which decisions were made to better serve our students and ensure a balanced workload for staff. Finally, we will focus on how to move forward with this information and determine actionable next steps.

In recent times, ‘undervalued and underutilized’ has become a refrain for many health science librarians and their skill sets. At this Ontario knowledge translation organization, a team of health science librarians are embedded in knowledge translation work and act as a cornerstone in the bridge between evidence and practice for Ontario’s primary care sector. Team members utilize their professional expertise at the forefront of knowledge translation and in the creation of practical and educational clinical tools for primary care. This poster will address the ways in which librarians have excelled in both supportive and leadership roles in an Ontario-based knowledge translation organization as highly valued and utilized members of embedded teams.

Please note that this tour requires pre-registration.

Always wanted to see what happens at the Toronto International Film Festival library? Well, now is the time! TIFF is offering several opportunities for attendees of the OLA Super Conference to tour the TIFF Library. Please note that the TIFF Library is approximately 10 minutes' walk away from the conference centre.

For those unable to attend an official OLA Super Conference tour, you may still visit the TIFF Library during your time in Toronto. Library hours are from 10am-5pm Monday to Friday. 

In the fall 2024, the University of Waterloo and W. Ross Macdonald School for the Blind in Brantford, initiated a pilot project. In this project, a low-vision student from W. Ross would have a co-op work term in the University of Waterloo Library. This session includes how this project came to fruition and includes some of the expected and unexpected challenges. What are appropriate co-op tasks that would create a positive and meaningful experience for all parties involved? Our aim is to take our accessibility skills to the next level by obtaining feedback directly from one of our key stakeholders. We will also share contact information for everyone interested in reaching out to W. Ross Macdonald school for a potentially similar experience. 

The value of the library reaches far beyond traditional statistical reporting measures, such as the number of visits and books circulated - it profoundly touches peoples lives. While measuring the impact of libraries on people's lives is challenging, it is increasing important in advocating for the value of libraries in our communities.  Toronto Public Library partnered with the Danish firm Seismonaut to measure this previously unquantifiable value using an innovative new methodology called the Experience Impact Compass. The Experience Impact Compass methodology combines quantitative data and qualitative stories to provide an empirical, evidence based approach that assesses impact across the four dimensions of Emotional, Social, Intellectual and Creative Impact. In this session, learn about the study results as well as how this new approach can help us collectively as a library sector to build a new language for describing the value of library services.

What sparks you? We all know public libraries are changing. They have become places and spaces that bring people together with the promise of something for everyone. However, keeping up with a vast array of services means change at a pace that can leave people with a lot of what ifs. 

What if I have to be on the desk all day? What if I don’t have time? What if I’m not respected? 

A healthy organization nurtures the growth and development of its people and – when done intentionally – can help to answer these questions. Using concepts rooted in neuroscience, psychology and leadership development, you will discover how we all play a role in creating a strong culture rooted in vulnerability and shared purpose. 

Hors des grandes villes, point de salut? S’il est vrai qu’il est plus difficile de cultiver une vie littéraire dynamique dans les communautés de petite taille, Chloé LaDuchesse, établie à Sudbury, en Ontario, y trouve son bonheur depuis bientôt dix ans. La littérature est un écosystème où chaque maillon – auteurices, maisons d’édition, médias, organismes de diffusion, milieu de l’éducation, public – est crucial. Dans cette conférence, elle parlera de sa propre expérience, discutera des défis et des succès de son milieu, présentera quelques initiatives inspirantes et démontrera que l’unicité de nos lieux de vie peut vite se transformer en atout. Les participant·es seront invité·es à partager les façons qu’elles et ils promeuvent le plaisir de lire chez leurs publics respectifs. 

This fast-paced session of lightning talks will have you fully up to date on the trends and innovations that technology is bringing to our libraries.

• Tech Talk #1: PRODUCE:HER Sessions: Creating Inclusive Library Recording Studios for Gender-Diverse Music Makers
• Tech Talk #2: Bridging the Gap: Using GitHub to Make Your Work More Accessible and Reusable
• Tech Talk #3: Helping Protect Canadians: Privacy in the Digital Era
• Tech Talk #4: Bridging Past with Present: Using Digital Historical Maps to Foster Student Inquiry

Come and listen to the perspectives of CEOs on the hot-button issues and opportunities facing our public libraries and communities, as well as the pressing issues and joys that come from being a library leader.

Ever wondered how someone else constantly comes up with new and exciting programs or services? Are you stuck in a creative rut or struggling to catch up with other libraries? The last decade has seen a surge in research concerning creativity and innovative thinking. Creativity can be taught even when someone’s brain does not naturally follow pathways associated with the function. This session will dive into where creativity originates, exercises to encourage it, and how to bridge those methods into library programs and services. Once we have delved into the science of creativity, it will be time to build your skills by performing a variety of activities that turn theory into reality. You will leave with a head full of techniques to encourage the flow of new ideas, steps to turn those ideas into innovative programs or services, and of course plenty of hands-on exercises with practical takeaways.

Thursday's education program will close with a conversation between two Ontario treasures: Jael Richardson, author and Executive Director of the Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) will interview author and screenwriter Catherine Hernandez. Join us for a delightful and wide-ranging conversation that will give you lots to think about as you transition into your evening of OLA social events. 

This session has limited space and requires pre-registration. 

OLA has secured a limited number of seats at a live Because News taping taking place at the CBC, right across the street from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC). The taping will take place between 6:30-8:30PM. Confirmed attendees will receive details in their email inboxes in January. 

Join us as we celebrate library award winners, including the Public Library Ministry Awards, OLA Awards, and public libraries receiving accreditations.

This is a ticketed event.

Library workers are invited to a two-part discussion (Thursday morning and Friday morning) about how you and your institution respond to world shaping events like Israel’s military actions in the occupied Palestinian territories. As libraries deliver core services - information literacy, collections development, library space, etc. - should library workers be free to reflect on troubling global realities in their work product and speak to these concerns in their day-to-day work lives?

The following themes will be used as discussion prompts:  

• Neutrality - Do personal beliefs have a place in library work? Is neutrality ever possible? 
• Avoidance - Do contentious conversations take place where you work? Should they? 
• Assumptions - Do you fill in the blanks about how your colleagues and students feel based on their identities?
• Actions - How do you respond to global conflict in your work? What do you wish you or your institution were doing?

This conversation will be governed by the Chatham House Rule.

Learning Objectives

• 1. Participants will leave the session able to compare their response to global conflict with those of other library workers.
• 2. Participants will leave the session able to compare their institution’s response to global conflict with those of other institutions.
• 3. Participants will leave the session able to describe how the OCULA EDI Community of Practice provides an opportunity to engage in topics of critical importance to library professions.

The path towards creating a culture of institutional assessment is not a straight one; it winds through many obstacles and opportunities along the way. How can we unify assessment approaches in an organization where each department operates differently? How can we effectively map a student's journey through postsecondary education? What is the most impactful way for us to tell our story? Join us for this interactive discussion as we use the game of Snakes & Ladders as an analogy to map the evolution of our quality assurance processes, identify opportunities and challenges with various assessment methods, and strive to build a culture of institutional assessment.

Author, community-based educator, and creator of the internationally-acclaimed Love Lettering Project, Lindsay Zier-Vogel will share her experience using placemaking and community-building practices in libraries and classrooms across the country. Using her debut picture book, Dear Street, as the basis for engagement, Lindsay will explore the transformative power of writing letters to things we love about where we live, and how this practice can empower students, caregivers, librarians and educators. By reflecting on what works in our communities, we can celebrate and protect the spaces we share, and engage more deeply with our surroundings.

In 2024, Canadian copyright law has seen notable developments in case law and policy. Courts have addressed key copyright concepts such as authorization, the overlap between fair dealing and the protection of digital locks, and the scope of moral rights.  On the policy front, the government is consulting on reforms to the Copyright Act to address new challenges from artificial intelligence. Key issues include text and data mining, infringement in outputs, and the ownership of AI-generated works, with stakeholder positions polarized between fostering innovation and protecting authors' rights.

Library work can be both rewarding and overwhelming. Burnout and vicarious trauma are common. Much of the problem is systemic – underfunding, oppression, global crises. So what can we do to sustain ourselves while doing this valuable work? In this Health Library Spotlight, activist, social worker, and author Farzana Doctor will present practical ideas on how to rethink and reduce burnout, and bring more self and community care into our lives. There will be time for Q&A and book signing.

In the past year, a number of library systems have fallen victim to cyberattacks, including three large urban library systems in Ontario - Toronto, London and Hamilton. These attacks severely impeded each system’s ability to deliver library services for months. Staff from these systems will discuss the attacks, the incredible work their staffs did in quickly adjusting to their new realities and continue to provide services The session will be offered in two parts.

Part One will focus on the behind-the-scenes work at the point of the attack and in addressing the ongoing aftermath, focusing on initial response by administrators, IT staff actions, and the importance of a coordinated internal and external communication plan.

OCULA Lightning Strikes Talks are presentations prepared by students with an interest in academic libraries who are either currently enrolled in a Master's program in library/information studies or library technician program at an Ontario university or college. 

Last year, a new partnership between Vancouver Public Library (VPL) and Internet Archive Canada (IAC) launched an initiative to digitize rare and historical books from VPL's non-circulating collection. This project included the installation of a Scribe machine - specialized digitization equipment developed by Internet Archive - the public 3rd floor of VPL's central branch. This collaboration not only enhances access to unique materials centered on the history of British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest but also contributes to the broader movement for digital rights for libraries. The initiative reflects core library functions: preserving knowledge and culture while providing open access to information. In this session, we will explore the various stages of the project - from obtaining Board approval to clearing access rights - and how libraries can play a crucial role in ensuring equitable participation in the digital era.

In the past year, a number of library systems have fallen victim to cyberattacks, including three large urban library systems in Ontario - Toronto, London and Hamilton. These attacks severely impeded each system’s ability to deliver library services for months. Staff from these systems will discuss the attacks, the incredible work their staffs did in quickly adjusting to their new realities and continue to provide services The session will be offered in two parts.

Part Two focuses on ensuring library users could continue to access physical and digital services by devising business continuity plans to enable the continuation of service to its members. At this session, each system will present their respective approaches, share what strategies they would recommend, and what they would do differently, including initial priorities and consideration, maintaining open doors, borrowing services and other vital services.

Come hear from OLA's government relations specialists, Devan Sommerville & Rob Elliott from Counsel of Public Affairs, together with 2024 & 2025 Ontario School Library Association President, Wendy Burch Jones as they provide a comprehensive update on the Save Our School Libraries Campaign. Learn about our advocacy efforts on your behalf, how our petition is gaining public support, the latest news from the new Minister of Education's office, and how our school library media coverage is turning heads. Come and listen to the latest news, voice your concerns, and ask your questions about what's next. 

From public/academic library collaborations to AI, from JSTOR to storytime, this fast-paced session of academic-focused lightning talks will invigorate, rejuvenate, and surprise!

• 1. Academic Libraries + Public Libraries = BFF
• 2. From Books to Bots: Bridging Knowledge Gaps with AI Workshops
• 3. Managing Digital Collections Using JSTOR Forum - Bridging the Gap Between Library, Archive and Special Collections Materials and the User
• 4. Not Just for Kids: Drag Queen Story Time for Grown-Ups

In recent years, public libraries have faced increasing challenges as societal issues have made these spaces more vulnerable to incidents. Libraries are witnessing serious situations, including opioid overdoses, violence, and verbal intimidation, which can undermine the sense of equity within these public spaces. In response, Hamilton Public Library developed a three-part “Step System” to manage and address incidents. This system aims to create a proactive presence on the floor while ensuring continuous communication between staff, management, and Senior Leadership about the ongoing activities at the Central Branch. Learn how to design a similar system for your library and discover the key lessons Hamilton Public Library learned during its first winter implementing this strategy.

Facing a digital dilemma: a sluggish, often unresponsive physical file server and, a lackluster intranet site with limited functionality, the Caledon Public Library embarked upon a transformative technology and engagement journey. CPL’s IT and Communications teams were juggling multiple on-premises servers and wrestling with storage limitations on hosted web servers. It was clear that a significant tech overhaul was needed, but a fundamental question remained on how to involve and rally staff to accept and adopt a complex and disruptive technological change? The answer was simple but powerful: involve everyone. By actively seeking input from all staff members and using creative marketing strategies to build excitement, the library transformed these challenges into opportunities. What could have been a daunting process became an engaging and collaborative journey, resulting in a successful upgrade that everyone embraced—and have actively utilized to improve productivity and collaboration.

Library book bikes are a contemporary outreach development that not only increase access to library resources and services but also generate a tremendous amount of popular enthusiasm for public libraries. In fact, the number of library book bike programs in North America has been increasing, so much so that the Association of Bookmobile and Outreach Services now celebrates "Book Bike Week" every year during the first week of August. And yet, the scholarly and professional writing that has been done on them is very far from extensive. This poster presentation seeks to address this gap by providing a history and typology of library book bike programs, and drawing out insights from a fairly comprehensive literature review. It will also identify some of the problems, both obvious and subtle, with library book bike programs, as well as the as yet untapped possibilities for them in the future.

In this session, writer and professor Randy Boyagoda, the University of Toronto’s advisor on civil discourse, considers the state and stakes for civil discourse on campus and beyond. He does so by way of situating the question of civil discourse itself — of how and why we should think out loud together, to advance knowledge, pursue truth, and contribute to the common good - in contemporary and historical terms. He brings a special focus on the mission and work of universities in relation to civil discourse, at a time when universities confront a host of other challenges to their standing and purpose. 

Cette session fait état d’une réflexion sur la lecture publique en français pour les jeunes en milieu minoritaire, avec les identités complexes que ces jeunes naviguent. Nous partagerons les résultats de deux ans d’étude sur les habitudes de lecture en français chez les jeunes Ontariens (de 13 à 18 ans). Nous détaillerons l'approche participative qui consiste en quatre ateliers de co-design dans le grand Toronto auxquels plus de cinquante jeunes francophones ont participé entre Septembre 2023 et Octobre 2024. Nous examinerons ce que lire (ou non) en français signifie pour ces jeunes locuteurs et apprenants, le rôle de la lecture dans leur engagement dans la diversité francophone, et comment les bibliothèques peuvent optimiser leurs services en milieu minoritaire. Cette session se veut interactive, et mettra l’accent sur les facteurs qui déterminent l'accès, la découverte et l’appropriation d’oeuvres en contexte linguistique minoritaire, et les enjeux pour les bibliothèques scolaires et publiques.

In 2024, the University of Guelph transitioned to OpenAthens, an authentication service that provides access to the library's subscription-based content, replacing the EZproxy system. This session offers insights and best practices for institutions considering a similar migration. We will explore the motivations for this change, including the elimination of server maintenance and local configurations.  Additionally, we'll discuss the available OpenAthens authentication options and the approach we took for a login hub. The presentation will cover the project management process and the essential preparatory steps needed for a seamless integration. We will also detail the integration with platforms like Alma, SpringShare, and Ares while emphasizing our user-focused approach and the role of our link generator tool in simplifying access. Finally, we will share unexpected challenges encountered during the go-live process and the significant efficiencies gained for the Electronic Resource Management Team, particularly in reducing EZproxy related tickets.