Happy Canadian Library Month from all of us at OLA!
October is always one of my favourite months in library land, and there is already a lot of momentum building. This week is also First Nation Public Library Week, an important opportunity to celebrate FNPLs and the people who make them such vital places for connection.
September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to honour survivors of residential schools, remember those who never returned home, and reflect on the ongoing impacts of colonialism.
It’s an important day for learning and reflection, but it’s also a reminder that reconciliation is work we need to carry with us throughout the year.
It’s officially fall! Which means a few things – yes, I’m wearing a sweater. Yes, there is pumpkin spice cold brew in my mug. Yes, someone is gently reminding you that your Super Conference proposal is due very soon! Let me circle back on that.
Last week was a big staff week at OLA, with a full day for our senior leadership team followed by a full in-person staff day. We looked back at some of our summer highlights, talked about our goals for the next three months (somehow there are only 75 working days left in 2026!), and did some training on our member management tools.
Oops, we’re a day late, sorry. Let’s blame the holiday Monday?
Happy back-to-school season, everyone! There’s something about September that always feels like a fresh start – new routines, new notebooks, and a pencil case full of sharpened Laurentian pencil crayons. Ahhh, the memories.
I mentioned that last week Lily and I attended Markham Public Library’s staff development day – and it was such a fantastic session. We talked about what it means to be Loud for Libraries and how everyone can be an advocate, no matter their role. Advocacy doesn’t always mean meeting with elected officials. It can be sharing a story, talking about the impact of your work, or helping someone better understand why libraries matter.
Back-to-school season is just around the corner! With Ontario colleges and universities getting ready to welcome new and returning students, they’re busy hosting open houses, social activities and pop-ups. Last Wednesday, OLA joined in on the fun with Melissa, making her way to Thunder Bay to host an outreach event at both Confederation College and Lakehead University.
I’m back! Technically.
After 10 days in South Korea for the IFLA World Library and Information Congress, my body is back in Ontario, my brain is somewhere over the Pacific, and the 13-hour time difference continues to make a compelling argument that 4pm is a perfectly reasonably time to go to sleep.
I’m still processing everything I learned and experienced at IFLA. There’s a lot to unpack, and I suspect pieces of it will continue to show up in my thinking – and this blog – for months to come.
Happy August! What’s that Taylor Swift line – August sipped away like a bottle of wine? On that note, last week I headed out to Stratford to spend some time with the team at Stratford Public Library – and yes, I finally got to experience Summer Swiftie Celebration! A group of friends and I joined in the fun, and it was exactly the kind of joyful, community-building event that reminds you why libraries are so special.
It’s the end of July. Am I the only person questioning space and time, and wondering how it all flies so quickly? These are my post-vacation existential thoughts. I spent the last 10 days away from my desk, floating in a lake and roasting marshmallows (not at the same time) and, wow, is that an effective strategy for remembering the world continues to spin even when you’re not checking your email every twelve minutes.
