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. Thanks so much to the group at MPL for being wonderful hosts! We had a great time, and I think the staff enjoyed our prize giveaways.
The OLA Board also met last week and approved our FY27 budget, giving us a clear roadmap for the year ahead and the work we want to keep building across advocacy, learning and member support.
Back at OLA, we welcomed Allie Chenoweth to the team. We’re very happy to have her with us and look forward to introducing her more broadly as she settles into her role as Partner Development Officer.
The OLA Cultural Diversity and Inclusion (CDI) Committee hosted a social for racialized library workers in Ottawa, led by Jamila Hastick and Valentina Ly. I love seeing member-led opportunities like this happening across the province, and we’d be very happy to support more local gatherings wherever members want to bring people together!
This week, school library sector members should have the September issue of The Teaching Librarian in their inboxes. This is a member perk for that sector, so get in touch with membership if you’d like to get access to this fantastic resource.
And don’t forget that we’re at the CNE this week! Our booth is just behind the kids midway, beside the amazing TPL bookmobile! If you’re visiting the Ex, come say hello and pick up a button.
Happy first day of September!
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.