OLITA Technology Advancing Libraries Award

The Technology Advancing Libraries Award recognizes innovation in the use of technology to benefit users, enhance library operations, and extend partnerships.

Eligibility

Nominees may either be an individual person, group, or project.

Nominees should be or have been employed in an Ontario library, though non-Ontario experience and contribution will be recognized in the submission.
There is no requirement for the nominee(s) to be an OLA member.

Criteria

Nominations are evaluated based on the level of improved access and efficiencies in library technology, using the OLA Framework Rubric.

Nomination Procedure

The nominator must be a member in good standing of OLA.
Nominations will be accepted between: February – November.

Selection Process

The OLA Awards Committee, which is a subcommittee of the OLA Board of Directors, is responsible for reviewing applications.
The OLA Awards Committee will present all qualified candidates to the OLA Board for consideration.

Award Presentation Information

This award is presented at the OLA Super Conference.

Past Recipients

2025 Technical Services Team, Lincoln-Pelham Public Library

2020 Tim Boudreau, Lougheed Middle School, Peel District School Board 2019 Jonathon Hodge for Tor Browser Pilot, Toronto Public Library

2018 Not awarded

2017 Bibliobike Project/Project bibliovélo, Ottawa Public Library

2016 “Borrow the Internet” Wi-Fi Hotspot Lending Program, Kitchener Public Library

2015 Cultivating a Hacker Ethic, Innisful Public Library and IdeaLAB 2014 GALLOP Portal (Government and Legislative Libraries Online Publications Portal)

2013 No award presented

2012 Scholars GeoPortal, Ontario Council of University Libraries (OCUL) 2011 Barcode Scanner Project, Ryerson University Library

2010 Project Conifer, Laurentian University

2009 Niagara Falls Public Library

2008 OurOntario.ca, Knowledge Ontario

2007 RFP Application Amazon Mashup, Kingston Public Library

2006 RSS Service, Cambridge Libraries

2005 The Reuben R. Sallows Digital Library, Huron County Library

2004 24by7 TEKdesk, Peterborough Public Library

2003 Global Librarian Project, Vaughan Public Libraries

2002 Historicity Project,Toronto Public Library

Honourable Mention: Windsor Internet Booking System (WIBS), Leddy Library, University of Windsor and Windsor Public Library

2001 Document Unit, Stauffer Library, Queen’s University

Web Interface for SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). 2000 VisuNEWS system, Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) WERL.net, Windsor-Essex Regional Library

1999 The TRELLIS Project, University of Guelph, Wilfrid Laurier University, University of Waterloo

1998 No award presented

1997 Metro Toronto Reference Library

1996 Halton Hills Public Library

1995 Dana Porter Library, University of Waterloo

1994 No award presented

1993 CNIB Library for the Blind

1992 Brampton Public Library