Some big-picture thinking last week, which I always love.  

I had the chance to attend the IFLA President’s meeting “Being Bold: Clear Direction in a Complex World”, and it delivered what the title promised. A fantastic program, thoughtful conversations, and a room full of library folks from across the country and around the world, all wrestling with the same question: what’s next for us? There was a strong focus on imagining the world (and libraries) in 2060, which is both wildly far away and somehow…not that far at all. Thanks so much to Leslie Weir for the invitation and for organizing the day.  

In advance of tomorrow’s Earth Day, I also connected with the IFLA Science & Technology section to explore a future opportunity to discuss Canadian climate conversations with their membership. Always exciting to look for ways to connect OLA’s work into global conversations and bring those ideas back to our members.  

Closer to home, I met with TALCO (school library coordinators in Ontario) to talk through some of the advocacy work underway as school boards make their 2026-27 staffing decisions. These conversations are so important right now, and we’re continuing to look at how we can best support members navigating changes in their boards.  

We’ve also been doing some signal boosting on a few key national issues. There is growing concern around funding for federal prison libraries, and we’re helping to elevate those conversations and point members toward ways to stay informed and engaged. We also just released a new episode of the podcast that digs into this topic. At the same time, we’re continuing to monitor the situation unfolding in Alberta public libraries and sharing updates from partners like CULC and CAP, who are doing important work to keep the sector informed and advocate for Alberta’s public libraries.  

On the team side, staff have been putting the finishing touches on promotions for this week’s National Volunteer Week recognition campaign. You’ll be seeing these throughout the week. It’s one of my favourite moments to celebrate the incredible people who power this association.  

And in less glamorous but equally important news, the OLA team has been busy completing our annual workplace safety training. Nothing says spring quite like a good refresher on policies and procedures!  

See you next Tuesday!