Up to Date or Out of Date? New Skills for Today’s Libraries
How do you keep pace with the increasing expectations of library users? Libraries have always existed to meet the needs of the people that…
Haliburton County Public Library Wilberforce Branch
"Although it appears to be stand-alone, the library is actually fulfilling a number of community functions. The Highlands East Council meets at the library -they meet…
TPL Scarborough Civic Centre Branch
"TPL’s goal was to increase use, serve the needs of a growing neighbourhood and evolve with changing technology. A raised panel floor is used for optimal adaptability in upgrading services…
Toronto Public Library Fort York Branch Library
"The branch is bright, with modern spaces and spectacular views. It offers many opportunities to linger and work: study pods, laptop bar, huge old growth wood…
Centennial College Ashtonbee Campus Renewal & Library
"The new library is not a traditional library. It is coupled with student services, bookstore, student commons, and a cultural centre. The result provides students with…
Gardens and Orchards: Programming and Collection Development
In my last piece for Open Shelf I wrote about archival material and the potential pitfalls that may occur in accepting them. It got…
Science Literacy Week: Why Your Library Should Participate
Science Literacy Week is an upcoming nationwide celebration of science scheduled for September 19th-25th. The week is above all a chance for great science…
Solving the Local Author Dilemma
Grisham, Patterson, and King are just a few of the names that stand out when it comes to authors – but how about Mathieson,…
Five Trends in Library Makerspaces
When Toronto Public Library’s (TPL) first Digital Innovation Hub opened in 2014, it brought a new opportunity for customers to get free access to high-end…
Making an Inadequate Budget Do Extraordinary Things
With no development charges, a very low population base spread over a huge area of land, and the dubious honour of being the county…
The Trouble with Twee
Twee: excessively or affectedly quaint, pretty, or sentimental (Oxford, 2015) For the past year, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to neighbourhood book…
It’s Not Easy Being Green: Sustainability at Huntsville Public Library
I left university with a BSc in biology and geography ready to take on the world. I had studied at Trent University in one…
Textbooks for Change: Creating an Impact with Used Textbooks
“One man’s junk is another man’s treasure.” In 2013, that became more than just an old saying for Chris Janssen, then a student at…