News Releases- Toronto Public Library

Fairview Branch to Receive Key Improvements

Library Board approves plan for alternate services

TORONTO (Wednesday, May 30, 2012) – The Toronto Public Library Board met earlier this week at Toronto Reference Library. Highlights of that meeting include:

Fairview Branch to undergo renovation

The board approved a plan to provide alternate services at Fairview Branch as it will be closing for renovations in the summer of 2012 for approximately 12 months. This branch is a large and popular district library with a theatre, located near Fairview Mall and the Don Mills subway station. The goal of the alternate services plan for Fairview is to spread the impact of the closure by relocating some services, programs and collections. Theatre groups have been offered alternative space at York Woods theatre.  Community residents will be provided with options to access collections and services, including a weekly bookmobile stop and expanded hours at neighbouring locations. Outreach and some programming will also continue off site and in neighbourhood branches.

Operating first quarter budget reports received

The board received a summary of operating expenditures of the library for the four months ending on April 30, 2012. A projected net operating surplus of $2.5 million for 2012 is primarily attributable to savings as a result of the library labour disruption in March 2012. The net savings from the labour disruption are still preliminary as the full impact on revenues will not be known until mid-year. The Library Board asked the City Librarian to report back on options for use of the budget surplus in 2012. 

Nominal application fee for artists to display their work in branches

Toronto Public Library supports creativity and culture at the city and neighbourhood level by providing space for local community artists to display their work. The board voted to pilot a nominal exhibition fee of $20.00 per month for artists displaying their artwork in library branches. The pilot would run for one year, after which time the fee would be reviewed.  Currently 18 branches regularly provide space for artists to display their work. 

Improving accessibility of library website

The board passed a motion requesting that the City Librarian report back on translation and other accessibility tools available to increase the usage of the Toronto Public Library website to accommodate the many languages utilized by library patrons.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for June 25, 2012 at 6:00 pm at Toronto Reference Library.

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 19 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow over 33 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131. 

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Media Contact:

Anne Marie Aikins 416-393-7212

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca  

Hidden Toronto Photo Contest Winners Announced

Outstanding submissions appeared in Toronto Star

TORONTO (Monday, May 7, 2012) – Winners of Toronto Public Library’s One Book Photo Contest have been chosen. The top five appeared yesterday in the Toronto Star’s Sunday newspaper and the top 10 are on its website. 

Toronto Public Library has wrapped up its 2012 One Book community read, this year a celebration of the book Girls Fall Down by Maggie Helwig. One Book is the library’s annual city-wide book club that includes events, discussion and activities that bring the book to life, including author readings, guided walks and other explorations of the book's themes. 

The main character in Girls Fall Down uses his camera to document the hidden parts of the city he loves, and so the library asked Torontonians for photos of their “Hidden Toronto.” The response was impressive—more than 100 entries captured the city’s hidden spaces, or revealed well known places in unusual ways.

There were so many compelling images submitted, Toronto Star photojournalist, Richard Lautens, ended up choosing 10 winners instead of the planned five. All are available for viewing on the library’s website (http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/ktr/one-book-photo-contest.jsp) and the winners are available on the Toronto Star’s site with thoughtful comments from Richard Lautens. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1173516

Congratulations to all the winners and thanks for helping the library and Toronto celebrate One Book.

Winning photos include:

1)    Commerce Court by Quin McColgan            

2)   Angels Among Us (Mount Pleasant Cemetery) by Lennan Delaney 

3)   The Pedestrian Bridge across Shuter Street by J-C Renaud

4)    Union (tracks at Union Station) by Evan Russell 

5)   Frozen Beaches by Ana-Luisa Santo 

6)   Woman Reading by Janice Hardacre

7)  Bluffer’s Park in Winter by Maureen Macfadyen

8)  Old Faith New Faith (downtown) by Sun Drews

9)  Broken Oasis College and Shaw) by Jonathan Castellino

10) Stormy Downtown by Amitoj Khurana

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 19 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow over 33 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131.

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Media Contact:

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca  

 

Library Board Reviews Strategic Plan Achievements

Total usage increases over 14% from 2008-2011

TORONTO (Tuesday, May 1, 2012) – The Toronto Public Library Board met last evening at Toronto Reference Library. Highlights of that meeting include:

Total Library Usage Increases over 14% from 2008-2011

The Library Board received a summary report from staff on the achievements of the organization’s 2008 - 2011 strategic plan and requested that copies of the report be sent to the City of Toronto’s standing committee on Community Development and Recreation as well as to all city councillors for their information. Significant achievements highlighted in the report include:

• expanded development of literacy programs for preschool children, youth and adults;
• improved access to the library’s virtual services through a new website and the expansion of wireless service to all branches;
• new and expanded cultural programs, including the Keep Toronto Reading Festival and One Book Community Reads program;
• launch of the Bram and Bluma Appel Salon at the Toronto Reference Library;
• increased attendance at library programs, including Ready for Reading storytimes for pre-schoolers (13.5%); youth programs (50.9%); and programs for seniors (71.3%);
• increases in total library usage (up 14.4% from 2008-2011) reflecting the Library's strategic goal of increasing participation in library services and programs among residents of all ages and backgrounds.

The full report can be read here http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/content/about-the-library/pdfs/board/meetings/2012/apr30/12.pdf

The Board also received Toronto Public Library’s 2011 annual performance measures, with an analysis of five-year and year-over-year trends in library usage.  The 2010 comparative results – benchmarked against North American, Canadian and Ontario public library systems – show that Toronto’s library continues to be one of the world’s busiest public library systems, efficiently delivering a wide range of services and programs that address community needs. 

The 2011 annual results show increases in library usage in most measures, with circulation, visits, program attendance, workstation and wireless usage all increasing.

The full report can be read here http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/content/about-the-library/pdfs/board/meetings/2012/apr30/13.pdf

Toronto Public Library Committed to Free Public Internet Access

Toronto Library Board chair Paul Ainslie has delivered a letter to the Honourable Christian Paradis, Minister of Industry urging the Government of Canada to reconsider its recent decision to terminate its Community Access Program (CAP) for 2012. Through its funding to Canadian libraries, the early years of the CAP program was instrumental in extending public Internet access to communities across the country, and in more recent years has helped sustain public Internet access. Toronto Public Library currently receives $44,200 annually in funding from CAP for public Internet access in 17 branches. The elimination of funding will remove this revenue source in 2013. However, despite the loss of funding, the Toronto Public Library remains committed to continuing public access to the Internet in all branches as it is an important and highly valued service to customers. 

Councillor Ainslie’s letter can be read here: http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/content/about-the-library/pdfs/board/meetings/2012/apr30/10_1.pdf

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for May 28, 2012 at 6:00 pm at Toronto Reference Library.

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 19 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow over 33 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131. 

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Media Contact:

Anne Marie Aikins 416-393-7212

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca