News Releases- Toronto Public Library

Library Board Approves Strategic Plan Framework

Public consultations to help set direction for next four years

TORONTO (Tuesday, June 26, 2012) – The Toronto Public Library Board met last night at Toronto Reference Library. Highlights of that meeting include: 

Strategic Plan Draft Goals and Next Steps Approved

The Board approved the four draft priority areas and thirteen related goals for the library’s 2012 – 2015 strategic plan as a framework for public consultation. Priority areas are:

•     Grow a City of Readers: Foster a love of reading as a first priority, helping residents overcome the barrier of low literacy levels;

•     Develop a City of Learners: Support lifelong learning as fundamental to economic prosperity, social cohesion and civic engagement;

•     Catalyze a City of Innovators, Entrepreneurs and Creators of All Ages: Spark experimentation, positioning Torontonians to succeed in a global knowledge economy;

•     Deliver Excellent Public Library Service to Torontonians efficiently and effectively.

The Library will engage in community consultation and continue to update the environmental scan with newly released data about Toronto from the 2011 Census results. It is anticipated that priority areas and initiatives will evolve as a result of consultation with residents, stakeholders, community partners and staff.

New Branches Move Ahead with Anticipated Openings in 2014

The Board approved the awarding of the construction tender to Bondfield Construction Company Ltd. for a new library branch being built at 190 Fort York Boulevard in the Railway Lands area at the corner of Fort York Boulevard and Bathurst Street. The Board named the new site the Fort York Branch. The Board also named the second new branch, to be located in the Scarborough Centre area within the Civic Precinct at 150 Borough Drive, on the south side of the Scarborough Civic Centre, as the Scarborough Civic Centre Branch. The anticipated opening for both branches is summer 2014.

Requests for Reconsideration of Library Materials Remain Low

Challenges to titles in the Library’s collections received by the Materials Review Committee in 2011 remain generally very low relative to the population served, reflecting the public’s appreciation of the breadth of Toronto Public Library’s collections and understanding of the application of intellectual freedom in a public library setting. In 2011, there were complaints about four titles, all in English. Two were books – one adult and one children’s book; two were DVDs –  one adult and one children’s DVD. The adult book and DVD were retained in the collection and the children’s book and DVD were withdrawn as the materials were deemed outdated.

Capital Budget Submission Approved

The Board approved the 2013-2022 capital budget and plan submission for consideration by the City Budget Committee and Council.

Strengthening Protection for Reporting Wrongdoing

The Board approved a new “Whistle Blower Protection Policy” that provides for the protection from reprisal of any employee who, in good faith, reports wrongdoing.  

Exploring Revenue Generating Ideas

The Board reviewed a number of revenue generating ideas and endorsed iloting an affiliate retail program that would enable books to be purchased through the library’s catalogue, and continuing the exploration of charging for parking at library locations.

Next Meeting

The next meeting of the Library Board is scheduled for September 24, 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  

Library Launches Annual Teen Summer Reading Program

Author Kelley Armstrong helps get WORD OUT about online book club

TORONTO (Wednesday, June 20, 2012) – Kelley Armstrong, author of the bestselling Darkest Powers and Darkness Rising series, will be on-hand July 27 to help Toronto Public Library launch WORD OUT, its annual teen summer reading program. WORD OUT is a popular online book club where teens have the opportunity to share their thoughts on books, get ideas for future reads, and enter contests to win cool prizes at torontopubliclibrary.ca/wordout.

What:              WORD OUT teen summer reading launch featuring Kelley Armstrong

Where:            North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge Street (North York Centre subway stop)

When:             Wednesday, June 27, 2012, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Who:               Meet Kelley Armstrong, author of the best selling teen series, Darkest Powers and                        Darkness Rising

The first 100 teens to arrive at the launch will win a special prize. Also up for grabs, great door prizes like a Sony e-reader and signed copies of Kelley Armstrong’s books. 

The event is free and pizza and refreshments will be served.

TD Bank Group, a major sponsor of WORD OUT, is proud to expand their support of summer reading into the teen years. 

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. To get all the scoops about the library first-hand, follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.

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Media Contact:

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca

Toronto Public Library Opens Expanded TD Gallery

Renovated premiere space part of revitalization of Toronto Reference Library

TORONTO (Friday, June 15, 2012) – Toronto Public Library is thrilled to reopen the newly expanded TD Gallery, a vital exhibition space, located on the main floor of the Toronto Reference Library. Renovated as part of a five-year, $34 million revitalization of the Toronto Reference Library, the TD Gallery opens June 16^th with the exhibition, A Passion for History: The Legacy of James Bain. The premiere exhibition features maps, prints, and books personally collected by James Bain, Toronto Public Library's first Chief Librarian (1883-1908) and donated to the library by the Bain family.

“The TD Gallery, one of Canada’s premiere exhibition venues, is a wonderful way to showcase treasures from Toronto Public Library’s remarkable 1.9 million items in Special Collections,” said Mary Rae Shantz, Manager, Special Collections, Archives and Digital Collections. ”We are proud to be able to celebrate the legacy of James Bain, and the continued generosity of the Bain family, with this inaugural exhibition.”

The Bain family was very happy to have the collection, which includes rare maps, prints, books and manuscripts, remain together in the public realm, Shantz said.

The gallery expansion was made possible through a major corporate gift to the Toronto Public Library Foundation’s re:vitalize – Toronto Reference Library Campaign from TD Bank Group.

“This is a wonderful gift and a great example of how inspired corporate leadership can bring about great outcomes at Toronto’s Library,” said Heather Rumball, President, Toronto Public Library Foundation. 

TD’s gift has enabled a significant redesign and expansion of its gallery space, which is primarily used for four expertly curated exhibitions each year featuring a broad range of rare and original materials that are drawn from the Special Collections in Canadiana, performing arts, documentary art, early children’s literature, speculative fiction and Arthur Conan Doyle materials. Opened originally in 1997, the gallery closed in early 2010 for renovations. Features of the expanded TD Gallery include:

• A 40% increase in size to 2,600 square feet;
• A new curved glass wall to increase gallery transparency and profile;
• New interactive technology features to enable new mixed media presentations;
• New museum standard HVAC, lighting and other conservation features. 

“We are thrilled to join with Toronto Public Library in realizing a new expanded gallery space for the benefit of all Torontonians,” said Frank McKenna, Deputy Chair, TD Bank Group, and Honorary Chair of the Foundation’s re:vitalize Campaign. “TD is enormously proud to support a project that creates even more opportunities for people to learn, discover, and enjoy the Library’s remarkable cultural and heritage collections.”

Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library systems. 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. To get all the scoops about the library first-hand, follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.

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Media Contact:

Anne Marie Aikins  416-393-7212

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca  

 

TD Summer Reading Club Keeps Kids Reading All Summer Long

This year’s theme encourages kids to go wherever reading and their imagination take them

TORONTO (Thursday, June 14, 2012) – Toronto Public Library is proud to announce that the 2012 TD Summer Reading Club for kids has arrived. The Club, which aims to build children’s confidence in and excitement about reading, looks forward to welcoming returning and new members alike. Registration will begin to roll out in Toronto Public Library branches this month.  The theme of the 2012 TD Summer Reading Club is “Imagine” encouraging kids to do and be (and read!) whatever they like, and through reading, go wherever their imagination takes them.

Children who register for the TD Summer Reading Club at their local Toronto Public Library branch receive a free activity book and poster, and they are encouraged to earn nine collectible stickers by reading books over the summer. Members are also invited to participate in fun, free and fantastical programs at their branch -- from magicians to puppet shows, crafts to games, storytellers to reading challenges, and bingo to sing-alongs. The Club includes a newly expanded website with games, jokes, and of course lots of reading ideas, at tdsummerreadingclub.ca.

“The TD Summer Reading Club keeps kids engaged in and enthusiastic about reading all summer while out of school,” said City Librarian, Jane Pyper.  “Children can read what they want, at their own pace. Whether it’s a comic book, an information book or an entire engrossing fiction series, a happy, confident reading child is what matters.”

“The Club is also a great way to engage reluctant readers, emerging readers and readers who perhaps need a little extra boost,” Pyper added. “Their participation introduces them to all their library has to offer—books, ebooks, programs and events, knowledgeable and engaged librarians, and a cool place to hang out with their friends.”

Children, parents and caregivers can visit tdsummerreadingclub.ca to learn more about the Club, browse booklists and play games.  For an up-to-date listing of all TD Summer Reading Club events taking place at Toronto Public Library branches, visit torontopubliclibrary.ca/imagine.

The TD Summer Reading Club is a joint initiative between TD Bank Group, Toronto Public Library and Library and Archives Canada.

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. For all the latest buzz about the library follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.

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Media Contact:

Melanie Boatswain-Watson 416-397-5936

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca

 

 

 

Toronto Public Library Celebrates Important Contributions of Portuguese Community

Visit our booth at Trinity Bellwoods Park June 9

TORONTO (Wednesday, June 6, 2012) – Immigrants of Portuguese descent have been enriching Toronto’s economy and cultural life since the 1950s and this June, more than 200,000 Portuguese Canadians who live in Toronto will celebrate their important contributions to the community.

A week-long festival, leading up to Portugal Day on June 10, includes the Portugal Day Parade on Saturday June 9. Toronto’s third largest street festival, the parade ends up at Trinity Bellwoods Park; in addition to the concerts, cultural events, storytelling, games, dancing and other activities, members of the community including Toronto Public Library will have information on hand about services. 

Visitors to the library’s booth at Trinity Bellwoods can sign up for a library card, participate in a storytime, learn about the library’s collections in Portuguese (and 40 other languages) and pick up information about the full range of services and programs. All are invited to attend and learn about our books, CDs, DVDs and children’s materials.

There will also be a variety of other events surrounding Portugal Day, commemorating the anniversary of Portuguese poet Luis de Camoe’s death (his date of birth is unknown). More information about the Library’s activities for Portugal Day can be found on our website.

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  

 

Toronto Public Library Celebrates a Century of Children’s Services

Library remains a champion of early literacy and the joy of reading

TORONTO (Tuesday, June 5, 2012) - Toronto Public Library has been improving children’s literacy for a 100 years and will mark the occasion with a special slate of kids’ programs over the next month.  Families and classes are invited to join special guests authors Ruth Ohi, Martin Springett, Shane Peacock, storytellers Rita Cox, Gail Nyoka and Applefun Puppetry, storyteller-poet Bob Barton, percussionist Jamie Bird and musician Andrew Queen in this celebration of literacy, the library and fun.

It was 1912 when Toronto Public Library hired Lillian H. Smith, known as the first professionally trained children's librarian in the British Empire, to head the library's newly established Children's Department.

“Lillian H. Smith had a passion for children’s literature, was a champion of early literacy and always strived to make libraries warm and welcoming environments for children of all ages and their families,” said City Librarian Jane Pyper. “Although many things have changed since 1912, the library still focuses on the same important children's services that Lillian advocated back in her day: promoting the joy of reading, helping young students succeed at school, and providing children and their families with spaces in which to play, learn and thrive.”

“The library hopes to share this incredible milestone of ours with as many children and families as possible.”

A special exhibit, The World Was All Before Them, mounted at the Osborne Collection of Early Children's Books (4th floor, Lillian H. Smith Branch, 239 College Street) showcases the early years of children's services at Toronto Public Library as well as the best-loved books through the decades. The exhibit wraps up on Saturday, June 9 and everyone is welcome to visit.

For a detailed list of programs, visit torontopubliclibrary.ca/100yearsforkids.  Please note that some of these programs require registration. Also available on the website is the timeline of children’s services at Toronto Public Library, a booklist of carefully chosen children’s classics and links to the library’s year-round children’s programming. A limited quantity of free, commemorative print booklists, 100 Books for 100 Years of Children’s Services 1912-2012, will also be available in local branches.

100 Years of Children’s Services celebrations have been generously funded by the Toronto Public Library Foundation.

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. For all the latest buzz about the library follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.

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Media Contact:

Melanie Boatswain-Watson 416-397-5936

media@torontopubliclibrary.ca