November 10, 2026
Michelle Arbuckle
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Do you think of yourself as a library advocate?
That’s what Dina Stevens and I asked a room full of emerging library leaders last week. We spent 90 minutes with the APLL cohort talking about OLA, FOPL and library advocacy, and we asked everyone to place themselves on an advocacy spectrum based on how much they saw themselves as advocates. If you’re reading this over your morning coffee, go ahead and give yourself a spot on that spectrum, too.
I like this exercise because it gets me thinking about all the little things that count as advocacy. Think about the last time you explained to someone why your after-school program matters, invited a community partner or faculty member in to see what your library does, or told a councillor what a new service would make possible. Those conversations help people understand what their library does for their community. If one of those examples made you think, “Oh, I do that all the time,” would you move yourself a little further along the spectrum?
Dina and I had already put on our government relations hats earlier in the week. On November 2, OLA and FOPL met with staff from the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Gaming for a technical briefing on the new $1.185 million annual Fund for Digital Expenses for public libraries serving populations under 50,000. We also kept the conversation going about the Ontario Digital Public Library and other priorities for the sector. The roadshow ended, but the conversations it helped start are still going.
Some of the most important work at an association happens when the Board sits down to make sure the structures underneath our work are keeping pace with where we’re headed. This month, the Board approved the IDEA Committee’s terms of reference, and updated our policies on the AGM and resolutions. We also started looking ahead to 2027, with early conversations about Board diversity, revenue generation and AI.
A reminder that this Sunday Nov 15 nominations close for seats on the OLA Board and our sector Councils. These seats are wonderful opportunities to be more involved with the work of your association, they allow you to meet new colleagues from across the province, and most importantly – the work is fun! Find out more here.
Thanks to Burlington Public Library for inviting Melissa Macks and the OLA team to its staff development day. There were lots of questions and good chats at the OLA table, and the OLA Store was hopping. Burlington, you kept us busy! Thanks for making us feel so welcome.
Speaking of Team OLA, last week we wished our colleague Gina Freitag the best of luck on her parental leave. Kate Ripley has stepped in to cover the work Gina does for our education department – welcome, Kate!
Meet the Author
Michelle Arbuckle
Executive Director, OLA
Michelle Arbuckle is OLA’s Executive Director. Reporting to the OLA Board of Directors, Michelle’s key responsibilities are government relations, advocacy, partnership development, the implementation of the strategic plan and supporting the exceptional OLA staff team. She is an avid lifelong learner, a tea sommelier, and wants to know your astrological sign.
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