City Librarian's Report for March 2025
Below is my report for the March 2025 Toronto Public Library (TPL) Board meeting. This report covers items that are not part of the Board agenda package.
Spaces
Bridlewood branch celebrates its grand opening
Last month, I was thrilled to attend the grand opening celebration of Bridlewood branch. We welcomed Mayor Olivia Chow and Councillor Nick Mantas to an exciting lineup of events, which included tours showcasing the library’s new facilities and resources. Guests of all ages participated in paper lantern origami, calligraphy writing, button making, a lucky lion dance, and a Lunar New Year celebration in partnership with Bridlewood Mall and Senior Persons Living Connected.
Bridlewood’s renovation marks a significant milestone for its community, providing a vibrant hub (a repurposed supermarket!) for learning, connection and discovery. The branch more than doubled in size, from 7,690 to 18,000 square feet, and includes a new Youth Hub, Virtual Interview Room, KidsStop early literacy centre and more. Our grand opening festivities welcomed nearly 2,000 visitors, demonstrating the community's excitement and support for this valuable new space.
Collections
Celebrating Freedom to Read Week
As part of our ongoing commitment to intellectual freedom, TPL participated in Freedom to Read Week from February 23 to March 1. This annual, national event is an opportunity for Canadians to reflect on the fundamental importance of intellectual freedom – a core value of public libraries and a pillar of our democracy. As the largest public library system in North America, we play a vital role in ensuring equitable access to a wide range of books, ideas and perspectives – and this has never been more crucial.
To mark the week, we launched a celebratory campaign featuring limited-edition intellectual freedom-themed library cards and tote bags, thought-provoking programs, and a curated reading list featuring reads that have been the target of book bans or challenges in libraries across North America. The campaign was featured on CityNews, raising the profile of intellectual freedom and highlighting TPL’s commitment to protecting it.
One customer contacted us to say: “With disinformation everywhere, a fraught political climate and general uncertainty gripping the public, this campaign lets me state my case quietly, with authority and just a hint of sassiness.”
Staff expertise
Launch of the Intellectual Freedom Initiatives Project
TPL recently launched its Intellectual Freedom Initiatives Project, an important component of our commitment to advancing the library’s new strategic priority of social connection, civic engagement and democracy. The project raises awareness and understanding of intellectual freedom in libraries and further empowers staff to recognize their role in supporting and defending it.
A key element of the project is a new intellectual freedom curriculum, created with the support of the Centre for Free Expression, equipping staff with the knowledge to confidently uphold and practice TPL’s commitment to intellectual freedom. The curriculum will help all staff knowledgeably and respectfully respond to intellectual freedom challenges and deepen their understanding of their role in providing access to a broad range of information.
TPL at the Integrated Employment Services launch event
On February 18, TPL attended Employment Ontario's Integrated Employment Services launch event. Previously known as Employment Services Transformation, the Integrated Employment Services combines social assistance employment services with other government employment services under Employment Ontario. The goal is to create a system that enables sustainable employment outcomes for job seekers, businesses and local communities.
TPL was one of the many organizations that attended the event, held in the marketplace at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel. Our staff from Adult Services, Community Outreach & Engagement and Youth Services engaged with various Toronto community agencies about TPL programs, services, initiatives and resources. While many agencies were already working with TPL or familiar with some library programs and services, everyone who visited our booth discovered new library offerings.
Exploring accessible reading technologies
On January 29, library staff from TPL and around the globe gathered at the Toronto Reference Library for the OLA Super Conference pre-conference session, “Assistive and Accessible Reading Technologies: Demonstrations and Hands-on Learning.” It featured individuals with print disabilities demonstrating how they use various assistive and accessible technologies to access books and other materials. Technologies included screen readers, switches, magnifiers, refreshable braille displays, ebook and audiobook readers and more.
The session was presented in collaboration with the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) and the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS). These organizations work with public libraries to provide books and other reading materials to Canadians with print disabilities. TPL offers a wide range of materials in accessible formats, including a collection in partnership with CELA for customers with print disabilities.
Programs
Children’s Services celebrates Black History Month
TPL celebrated Black History Month in February with two special children’s offerings honouring Black history and culture.
TPL’s Dial-a-Story service launched new titles, written and read by local author Nadia Hohn: Malaika’s Winter Carnival and Malaika’s Costume. Both stories were brought to life by Nadia’s lively narration and featured throughout the month of February. Kids and their families can listen to stories by phone at any time of day by calling Dial-A-Story. The service is available in 16 languages and offers stories for younger and older children.
In late February, Dr. Rosemary Sadlier, award-winning author and former president of the Ontario Black History Society, hosted an engaging online event for students in grades 3 to 6. Schools from Toronto were invited to participate, with a total of 180 students and educators from seven classes attending. Dr. Sadlier shared insights from her recently updated book, The Kids Book of Black History in Canada, offering students a rich and educational experience.
Technology
Improving public printing services
On February 18, we reintroduced improved full print services at all TPL branches, replacing the temporary measures implemented in response to the 2023 cybersecurity incident that affected many library services, including printing.
Customers can now print from both library and personal devices, send print jobs remotely and retrieve them from any TPL public printer citywide. Additionally, for the first time, all branches now offer colour printing and photocopying!
More than 120 new multi-function printers were installed and configured, and comprehensive training and communications were provided to support staff and customers. We also introduced improved printing software, making the printing experience more user-friendly, secure and reliable.
Since launching, customers have printed an average of 20,000 pages daily, highlighting how vital this service is to our city. Upgrading our printing capabilities across the city gives customers access to the technology they need to succeed. I am incredibly proud of this project, our staff, and our continuous commitment to delivering exceptional, equitable experiences for all.
Using artificial intelligence to address hate speech
Last month, TPL hosted the Algorithm for Change Community Hackathon, the first in a series of hackathon events organized by the Coalition of Innovation Leaders Advancing Respect (CILAR), empowering Canadians to address hate speech using AI-driven solutions. CILAR is an organization that unites Canadian tech and innovation leaders to dismantle structural racism.
TPL staff participants and facilitators joined developers, data analysts, administrators, writers, civil servants, students and other problem-solvers for the hackathon at Toronto Reference Library. Speakers addressed both the opportunities and threats presented by AI, as well as the negative impacts of algorithmic bias and hate speech on all Canadians, especially equity-deserving groups. Participants brainstormed solutions to problems including biased data sources, the lack of diversity in tech-sector design teams, and the need for assessment, evaluation and oversight of AI tools.
Teams will continue to work on their prototypes throughout March, and will complete them at a second hackathon in April. Final projects will be presented at a showcase on April 30 at Toronto Reference Library.
Sharing strategies at the TPL Innovation Meetup
TPL hosted its Innovation Meetup on February 18, where more than 70 library professionals from across North America and Europe, including Finland, Ukraine and the United Kingdom, gathered online to exchange insights and discuss pressing issues related to artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and misinformation and disinformation.
The event featured three dynamic speakers who explored the evolving role of libraries in the digital age. Dr. Robert Seitovirta from Oodi Central Library in Helsinki, Finland, shared his library’s groundbreaking collaboration with the Finnish government to combat misinformation. Jon Braun, from New Jersey, United States, spoke about an innovative AI Ambassador program, where a specialized team of library staff leads AI literacy outreach efforts across the state. TPL Senior Services Specialist Fiona O’Connor highlighted the library’s extensive digital literacy initiatives, including programs and workshops such as the Innovator in Residence program. Following these presentations, attendees engaged in breakout discussions to exchange ideas and share experiences from their own libraries.
Specialized Services
TPL joins research project on supporting seniors
TPL has joined “Reimagining Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities (NORCs) for 21st Century Cities,” a research project in collaboration with the Women’s Age Lab at Women’s College Hospital and the NORC Innovation Centre at University Health Network (UHN).
A new Seniors Digital Literacy Community Librarian will work alongside NORC Innovation Centre staff and researchers from the Women’s Age Lab to deliver an integrated suite of services at Toronto Seniors Housing Corporation (TSHC) buildings over the next four years. These supports—and the project findings they yield—will help seniors living in NORCs age in place and access vital information and community resources such as digital literacy education. The ongoing success of TPL’s Community Librarian service and meaningful partnerships with TSHC and the City of Toronto have shown the impact of this service model on many vulnerable communities across Toronto, including seniors and newcomers.
This project is generously supported by grant funding from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Other TPL initiatives
Celebrating the 2025 Design-a-Bookmark Contest
TPL’s 2025 Design-a-Bookmark Contest was a great success with a total of 5,183 bookmark entries from children across the city in three age categories. From these submissions, twelve Grand Award winners were chosen based on theme, originality and design. In addition, four Elizabeth Cleaver Design Awards were presented for outstanding artistic merit.
Last month, we held an awards ceremony where the top winners were recognized and celebrated by their families, friends and supporters. The event included remarks from TPL Board member, Amina Mohammed, who acknowledged the winners’ achievements. Contest judge and guest artist Nadia Alam also led a wonderful bookmaking workshop for attendees.
The 16 winning designs are currently featured on tpl:kids and are available as printed bookmarks in branches. We thank all of the children who shared their creativity and imagination in this year’s contest. Entry forms for the 2026 contest will be available online and in branches in October 2025.
Celebrating the 2024 United Way campaign
In January, we had the honour of hosting the City’s celebration for the end of the 2024 United Way campaign at the Toronto Reference Library. In attendance were United Way ambassadors from City of Toronto departments and agencies, in addition to a large contingent of TPL staff.
More than 30 TPL staff were awarded ‘Ambassador of the Year’ and TPL’s worker Co-Chair for the campaign, Leandro Barak, received the GenNext Philanthropy Award. I was incredibly honoured to receive the Guiliana Carbone Philanthropy Award for the 2024 campaign, created in honour of Giuliana Carbone’s legacy as a champion of the United Way campaign, recognizing individuals who embody the spirit of philanthropy. The ceremony ended with the grand reveal of the total raised for 2024, which was more than $2.5 million dollars. Of the amount, TPL contributed more than $93,000.
International Women’s Day Award
On March 8, I was recognized along with eight other women at the York Club’s International Women’s Day celebration.The event celebrated the accomplishments of Canadian Women who have broken through barriers, had exceptional impact in their field and helped to create a pathway for others. A number of TPL Foundation supporters attended, including chair Anne Maggisano. It was a great honour to be acknowledged alongside such incredible people.
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