We are barreling towards the end of June too quickly! Last week was busy with travel and conference events. I spent Monday and Tuesday at the Library as Place conference hosted in Kingston, and what an incredible two days it was. A huge thank you to the planning team for creating such a thoughtful conference. It was especially wonderful to meet so many attendees who had travelled from outside Ontario to share the exciting library projects they’re working on. If you’re interested in this topic, I highly recommend joining our Library Architecture & Space Planning group on LinkedIn. It’s energizing to hear different library systems share their approaches to design challenges while realizing that so many of our goals are the same – no matter the type of library. We are all trying to create spaces where people feel welcome, inspired and connected.  

Last Wednesday, I zipped down to Hamilton to attend the Teaching & Learning Conference at McMaster University Libraries. The keynote introduced one of the most unexpectedly fascinating university courses I’ve heard about: Surviving Survivor: Insights from Reality TV for Real Life. The course uses the TV show Survivor as a lens to explore leadership, community building, group decision-making, game theory, ethics, morality and the representation of race, sex and gender. Honestly, I’m furious that I can’t take this course. The rest of the conference was equally thought-provoking, with sessions on misinformation, teaching data literacy, and one presentation on pseudohistory (which, if you’ve never come across the term before, is absolutely worth looking up).  

Yesterday at OLA, our staff and board leadership came together for an executive retreat. We took a mid-year look at our strategic plan, recognized the progress we’ve made so far, and mapped out what still needs to happen over the next six months. It’s always valuable to step away from the day-to-day work for a moment, remind ourselves where we’re headed, and make sure we’re spending our energy on the things that matter most.  

Advocacy also kept us busy this week. Late last week, OLA sent letters to each of the trustees at the London District Catholic School Board expressing our concern about proposed cuts to school library positions. I was encouraged to hear from a number of those trustees expressing appreciation for our support. Last night, the board voted to reject the proposed budget. We’ll be watching closely to see what comes next, but it’s a reminder that constant advocacy matters. Sometimes, simply ensuring decision-makers have access to another perspective can make a meaningful difference.  

This past Sunday was National Indigenous Peoples Day, and OLA shared a special member communication, inviting you to listen, learn, and take part in meaningful action. The message highlighted the importance of celebrating and honouring the diverse cultures, traditions and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples, while also encouraging deeper engagement through reading, participation in local events, and ongoing education. It was designed not just as a moment of recognition, but as a prompt for continued learning and relationship-building.  

As always, thank you for everything you’re doing in your own libraries and communities. Every conversation, every partnership, every lesson learned makes our sector a little stronger.  

See you next Tuesday!