public libraries – Page 3

Valuing social institutions: Northern libraries have bang for their buck

Quantifying the social value of public institutions can be challenging and contentious given that standard business metrics may not capture the value of intangible social rewards.

Due North

“The lakes could teach me what the mountains could not”: A conversation with Ktunaxa poet Smokii Sumac

Smokii Sumac is a talented Ktunaxa poet, and recently, we talked about gender, the land and more.

Features

Free speech and hate speech

Can we open our doors to all points of view and also say that our libraries are safe spaces? I think not.

Open for All?

Are publishers that short-sighted? Questioning Macmillan’s new ebook guidelines

“Beginning November 1, Macmillan Publishers is restricting library access to new e-books, causing long wait times for some titles.”

Trees and Forests

Libraries upholding privacy values: Lynda.com and LinkedIn Learning Migration

The migration of Lynda.com to LinkedIn Learning involves a sign in that breaches public libraries' attempts to protect patron information.

OLITA

Unsettling the public library: A conversation on decolonization with anthropologist Kieran Way

Samantha Martin-Bird talks with anthropologist Kieran Way about making libraries safe and welcoming spaces for Indigenous Peoples.

Features

Reviewing The public

The public is my kind of movie. The hero is a flawed character who has been given a second chance that he uses to help those who are also in a bad place.

Open for All?

OLS – North launches two First Nation public library websites

The two new Ontario Library Service – North websites have been designed to support language revitalization and First Nation public libraries.

Features

It’s our vote: The 2019 federal election

Our little public library has served as an information center for municipal, provincial and federal elections and this year we ordered welcome resources from Elections Canada.

Features

Finding meaning in these trying times: Thoughts from a public library manager

Lately, being an administrator for a public library in Ontario has been a pretty grim proposition, but a recent experience has left me hopeful.

Trees and Forests

RA core competencies & toolkit

Emma Primeau highlights the OPLA "Reader Services Core Competencies and RA Toolkit". This resource is a one-stop shop for all the tips, tools and continuing education to fuel a simple, practical and integrated approach to inclusive Readers’ Advisory that is geared to your community.

Readers' Advisory

Public Library Leaders program: Making connections, creating future leaders

Now in its fourth year, the Public Library Leaders program is gaining a reputation for preparing library managers to successfully advance to higher levels of leadership within their institutions.

Features

Democracies need libraries

The American Library Association’s democracy statement reads, in part: “Democracies need libraries. An informed public constitutes the very foundation of a democracy; after all, democracies are about discourse—discourse among the people. ... It must ensure that citizens have the resources to develop the information literacy skills necessary to participate in the democratic process.” This might seem like some pretty big shoes to fill, but there is truth to it. Public libraries help us stay informed and keep us kind.

Features