City Librarian's Report for April 2023
Below is my report for the April 2023 Toronto Public Library (TPL) Board meeting. It summarizes key activities in support of the priorities outlined in our strategic plan. This report covers items that are not part of the Board agenda package.
Opening up our public space
March Break Children’s Programs and Activities
TPL welcomed hundreds of children and families to numerous free programs and activities during the week of March Break (March 11-18). A variety of fun and exciting in-person programs were offered at branches across the city, including magic and puppet shows, STEM workshops, as well as French language events. Steeles Branch hosted a Science Meets Art workshop and shared a glimpse of the program on Instagram. Virtual programs were also offered throughout the week, with over 200 families attending three programs delivered on TPL Kid’s Crowdcast channel: BenTastic’s Fantastic Magic Show, Exploring Dinosaurs with Club Rex and Un printemps à Paris avec Touralingo.
One of the new online experiences this year is digital puzzles, featuring some of this year's Design-a-Bookmark Contest winners. Traffic on the March Break programs page was up 40% from 2022 and the combined page views from our related sites doubled in comparison to last year.
TPL’s March Break in-person and online programs and experiences helped to connect families, support literacy and learning skills, as well as promote the use of TPL’s library services.
Youth Outcomes Framework wins City Manager's Award of Excellence
The City of Toronto Youth Outcomes Framework received a 2023 City Manager’s Award in the Innovation category at a recent ceremony at City Hall. The City Manager’s Awards of Excellence are the highest form of recognition for outstanding achievement by the Toronto Public Service.
TPL’s Lori Tureski (Senior Services Specialist, Policy, Planning & Performance Management) and Lisa Heggum (Manager, Youth Services, Service Development & Innovation) began participating in the City’s Youth Service Review in 2019 and are members of the Interdivisional Work Group responsible for developing and implementing the framework. This ongoing collaboration includes staff from all City Divisions, Agencies and Corporations who have identified outcomes and performance measures that apply to the City of Toronto’s portfolio of youth programs.
The framework is informed by the most current research on positive youth development, and it focuses on helping youth build on their strengths and develop the competencies, values and connections they need to thrive in life and work.
Mavis Gallant stories retold at TRL
TPL recently co-presented an exciting series of unique musical performances at the Toronto Reference Library. RETOLD included the premiere performances of three new works inspired by short stories by award-winning Canadian author Mavis Gallant, presented in collaboration with Musical Stage Company and Yonge Street Theatricals. The sold-out musical performances took place over a week in The Jack Rabinovitch Reading Room, including three livestream opportunities to watch (with ASL Interpretation for select performances).
New TPL Kids Bags
During the week of March Break, we launched our new bags for kids. After receiving such a great customer response to our adult book bags, we’re thrilled to offer these bag for kids. The bags are available for purchase at all our branch locations.
National Volunteer Week
National Volunteer Week (April 16-22), aims to celebrate and acknowledge volunteers for their incredible contributions to our communities. Volunteers are essential to the work we do at TPL. Last year, our first full year of in-person service since 2019, more than 900 volunteers contributed over 30,000 hours of service in support of library programs across the system. Our volunteers continue to show their dedication and adaptability. This year, we’re highlighting our teen volunteers in a social media campaign across all our platforms, including Avril and Ira who share their time and talent as Teen Council volunteers.
Learn more about Volunteering in the Library.
Broadening Toronto's digital access and inclusion
Explore local history with TPL’s improved interactive map
Expanding access and use of online research resources by modernizing digital spaces is one of TPL’s organizational priorities. Our improved Map of Historical Resources by Neighbourhood webpage is a living example of this vital work. This map now brings together the library’s digitized and physical historical items from Special Collections, Research & Reference Libraries and other branches related to each neighbourhood area in Toronto.
Every year, thousands of Torontonians use this map to explore historical photos, rare local history books and more items held at TPL. Customers can explore their own neighbourhood — or beyond — by picking a neighbourhood or searching an address. Item highlights include photos from our Toronto Star Photograph Archive, a vital record to show how our city has evolved over the 20th century.
TPL’s AI Programming Initiatives Shared with Global Audiences
TPL promoted its programming about artificial intelligence (AI) at two technology events in March.
On March 20, Fiona O’Connor (Senior Services Specialist, Digital Literacy Initiatives) and Lina Kim (Senior Services Specialist, Innovation) led an interactive workshop at MozFest 2023, a week-long festival that brings together artists, activists, technologists, educators and students from 145+ countries to showcase how communities are working to build a healthier Internet and more trustworthy AI. TPL’s workshop outlined the opportunities, challenges and best practices in designing and implementing programs about AI and machine learning technologies within the library.
On March 30, O’Connor connected further with global audiences at online event hosted by the Gigabit Libraries Network. The event featured a presentation by Lee Rainee (Director, Internet and Technology Research, Pew Research Centre) about Pew’s recent report, The Future of Human Agency, which discusses how much control people will retain over essential decision making as digital system and AI advance.
Providing the vital ingredients for a democratic society
Recent media
Pam Ryan, our Director of Service Development & Innovation, joined leaders from the Edmonton Public Library and Prince George Public Library on CBC’s The Current with Matt Galloway to discuss safety and security issues facing public libraries and how we are responding in responsible and practical ways to serve our communities, keep staff safe and maintain welcoming environments for all.
I also had the opportunity to be a part of a panel conversation about the future of public libraries on TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin. It was a terrific discussion about how our work supports a larger social purpose – from developing digital and financial literacy skills and helping newcomers make their way in Canadian society, to addressing food insecurity and promoting free and open access to diverse information and ideas.
Recently in the Globe and Mail, writer Shirley Phillips reflected on the value of public libraries – and librarians. It’s so wonderful to read her thoughts about librarianship as fundamental to democracy and her deep appreciation for our branches – including mentions for Mimico, Centennial and Toronto Reference Library.
Recognizing International Women’s Day
International Women’s Day recognizes and celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. This year’s theme, ‘Every Woman Counts’, is a reminder that all women – from all ages and walks of life – have a place in every aspect of Canadian society. TPL recognized International Women’s Day with reading lists for children and adults that highlight the varied experiences and empowering stories of women from around the world.
TPL at the Digital Public Library of America Board meeting
Earlier this month, I was a featured guest at the Digital Public Library of America Board meeting, along with Brian Bannon, the Merryl and James Tisch Director of The New York Public Library. I was asked to speak about TPL’s Equity Statement and Intellectual Freedom Statement, and why they are mutually reinforcing. I highlighted the importance of connecting equity and intellectual freedom, as a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion requires protecting free expression for all viewpoints. Censorship undermines equity, while intellectual freedom supports it. Our Equity and Intellectual Freedom Statements guide our work and communicate our core values.
The current wave of book banning targeting LGBTQ2+ community and racialized groups illustrates this connections between equity and intellectual freedom. I shared with the audience that Dr. Richard Ovenden, Head of the Bodleian Library at Oxford University, spoke at one of our programs during Freedom to Read week and emphasized that book banning and censorship are tactics by those seeking authoritarian control. In Ovenden’s words, “It is our minds that are the true battlefield, and libraries are a good proxy for those."
Investing in staff and an innovative service culture
Rainbow presence at TPL
We’re happy to report that we are rolling out our Rainbow Presence initiative at TPL. Our Rainbow Presence initiative involves increasing Two-Spirit, Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transgender and Queer + (2SLGBTQ+) inclusion and visibility in all spaces at TPL. We are implementing this through two Rainbow Presence actions this month including:
- displaying Intersex Progress Pride Flag decals at the entry of all our branches and service buildings;
- and distributing optional pronoun pins for staff to wear on their lanyards.
Fostering welcoming and inclusive spaces for 2SLGBTQ+ people directly connects to our TPL Strategic Plan and our focus on equity. It maintains our commitment to understanding and breaking down barriers to access and increasing inclusion.
We will continue onward with additional Rainbow Presence action items in the upcoming year. This includes creating more visibility around our rich and diverse 2SLGBTQ+ collections, so that all Torontonians can continue to benefit from our material offerings.
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