Modernizing Ontario Public Library Funding

Draft Discussion Paper
Towards More Effective Public
Libraries in the Context of the
New Ontario Culture Strategy
Prepared for the Public Library Funding Review
Stephen Abram, FOPL
Shelagh Paterson, OLA

In consultation with:
Ontario Public Library Association (OPLA)
Ontario Library Boards’ Association (OLBA)
Chief Executives of Large Urban Public Libraries (CELUPL)
Administrators of Medium Public Libraries of Ontario (AMPLO) pending
Administrators of Rural and Urban Public Libraries of Ontario (ARUPLO) pending
Our TEAM!

Ontario’s Investment in Public Libraries. The Ontario Culture
Strategy - Telling our stories, growing our economy
The specific recommendation we are responding to in the Culture
Strategy report is:
• “Goal 2: Strengthen culture in communities, Strategy 1: Help build
strong community-based culture organizations:
• Review and update provincial funding programs for public libraries to
build the capacity of libraries serving rural and remote communities,
improve digital services and support leadership and innovation.”

Provincial Public Library Funding Background
• Ontario’s Public Libraries are funded at the municipal and provincial level with the
primary portion of a public library budget funded by the municipal tax base (with
the exception of First Nation Public Libraries). The province of Ontario provides a
crucial but declining portion of funds annually to each public library through a
mix of operating and special grants, and supplements. These funds have
traditionally ensured some level of equity in service delivery and programs for
public libraries across Ontario. In addition, the province has invested in two
provincial service delivery agencies, Southern Ontario Library Service, and
Ontario Library Service - North, and provides a small operating grant to the
Ontario Library Association.
• In considering a review and update of provincial funding programs, we
recommend that the ministry continue to provide funds through a public library
operating grant, pay equity, funds for service agencies, and sustained project
grants (for example, for connectivity, employment, innovation, research, etc.).

Summary of Funding History
The Provincial Public Library Operating Grant (PLOG) was cut 50% in the mid-nineties.
There have been no increases to this lower rate grant for over two decades – not even cost of living
increases.
The PLOG is widely perceived by municipalities and some libraries as unfair since it has not fully
taken into account population changes.
While several targeted grant opportunities were offered in the last decade these are now mostly
sun-setting with no confidence that they will re-appear.
Recent cuts included:
• e-Resources funding grant ceased at Dec. 31, 2015 - $2.3 million
• Connectivity funding prior to Dec. 31, 2016 - $400,000
The following grants are up for review, renewal or sun-setting:
• OLCF Funding - $10 million over 3 years through March 31, 2017
• Connectivity funding
• CELA funding - $900,000+
While we appreciate and apply for grants with gratitude, these do not ensure sustainability for
important programs and our institutions as we transform to adapt to the digital 21st Century.

The Net Present Value (spending
power) of $33 million in 1996
has declined over 20 years to
$14 million.
The provincial government’s
PLOG support of Ontario’s public
libraries has declined every year
since the cuts of the 1990’s.

Our Key Recommendation
Modernize the investment
and the relationship with
Ontario’s public library
systems and agencies.

Critical Themes of Modernization
• The amount of the investment in the public library sector must
increase to have greater impact for Ontario residents and keep pace
with provincial economy.
• There must be greater cross-ministerial co-operation in funding
capacity recognizing the public library role in our province and
communities.
• Public libraries play a multi-dimensional role in supporting social
vitality, educational success, cultural development, employment and
provincial and local economic success and in the delivery of
government programs and policies.

Recommendations for modernizing support for
the public library sector
1. Leverage and maximize the impact of the provincial investment in
the capacity of Ontario’s public libraries.
2. Invest in the public library infrastructure to strategically support
Ontario’s culture strategy priorities.
3. Invest in strategies that will support culture, learning and
community development.

1. Leverage and maximize the impact of the
provincial investment in the capacity of Ontario’s
public libraries
1. The OLS’s (SOLS, OLS-North) should be enlarged and maximized for impact
2. Collaborative Acquisition & Licensing
3. Leverage Municipal Relationships (AMO, ROMA)
4. Cooperative E-Resources Management and Licensing
5. Modernize Public Library Data Collection for Real-time
6. Mine the Long Form Census at the Provincial Level
7. Simplify Reporting and Grant Management
8. Modernize and Expand Bandwidth Funding
9. Ensure Sustainable CELA Funding
10. Fairly and Equitably Update the PLOG Model (including LSP’s, FN and size of
library models)

2. Invest in the public library infrastructure to
strategically support Ontario’s culture strategy
priorities
• Support cultural programming in public libraries
• Upgrade digital tools and resources in all libraries
• Ensure public libraries can acquire more Canadian and local content
• Support immigration and refugees programming
• Provide funding to finish AODA compliance in public and reserve
libraries
• Provide funding for employment and training initiatives through
libraries
• Provide program resources and funding for support of SME business,
entrepreneurs, start-ups, teen and women’s businesses through
libraries.

3. Invest in strategies that will support
community development
• Recognize the important role public libraries play in cultural programming
and employment for digital and other creators and performers.
• Support cultural activities for all libraries especially underserved groups
and populations.
• Build stronger supports for youth cultural programming in public libraries.
• Invest in a centralized provincial cultural online event calendar for activities
as well as social tools for promoting them.
• Ensure that there is a free public library on every reserve as well as a digital
presence for all indigenous Ontario residents.

You’ve heard today . . .
• There are 40 recommendations in the First Culture Strategy. More
than 3 relate to libraries
• Community Hubs is a key Cabinet task force that is studying how our
sector and other ‘Hubs’ can be exploited for gains in Ontario
• Indigenous Libraries and Truth & Reconciliation are key Foci of the
provincial government

Discussion Table Expectations
• We are not trying to build policy yet . . . We’ll get to that soon
• We are trying to build consensus and understanding
• We are looking for stories and ideas of how our sector can support
these initiatives for positive results for libraries and Ontario
communities and residents
• We are focusing on the value and impact of public libraries in Ontario
in the context of provincial government funding priorities

The usual rules of brainstorming . . .
• These are a time-tested, road-worn recipe for successfully generating ideas with
your table group:
• Withhold Judgment and Criticism ... Every idea is worthy of consideration
• More ideas and stories are better than one well crafted one (at this point)
• One conversation at a time. ...
• Be visual. ...
• Headline your idea. ...
• Build on the Ideas of others. ...
• Stay on topic. ...
• Encourage wild ideas.
• Listen and Speak – Build on others ideas
• Don’t get stuck on a single idea or topic.
• Stay Positive – we do good work and have very high value
• We have a lot of great brains here!

Process: At your tables:
• Appoint (or volunteer to be) a table monitor
• Have someone volunteer to take notes (so you can talk to them and
submit them to the planning team)
• Discuss the issue on the cards you’re given.
• Write down your BEST Ideas and Stories.
• Prepare to share one idea or story with the larger group (a few of you
will be asked)
• Easy Peasy!

AMPLO: Administrators of Medium Sized Public Libraries of Ontario
CELUPL: Chief Executives of Large Urban Public Libraries
One Voice: We’re in this together!

Contacts:
• Stephen Abram, executive director, Federation of Ontario Public Libraries
• c/o Toronto Public Library, 5120 Yonge Street
• Toronto, ON M2N 5N9
• sabram@fopl.ca
• Cel: 416-669-4855
• FOPL: 416-395-0746
• Shelagh Paterson, executive director, Ontario Library Association (including
Ontario Public Library Association, Ontario Library Boards Association,
Ontario School Libraries Association and more divisions)
• spaterson@accessola.ca
• 416-363-3388 ext. 224

You are Table Number ONE
• Choose your moderator and note taker
• Ready Set Go!
• Start your discussion by the exploring the role of public libraries as
COMMUNITY HUBS
Focus on Libraries, Leadership,
Capacity, Digital Services, Innovation,
Creativity, Learning, and First Nation
Communities

You are Table Number TWO
• Ready Set Go!
CULTURAL DESTINATIONS and CULTURAL INCUBATORS
Communities

You are Table Number THREE
• Ready Set Go!
supports for Indigenous (First Nation) residents and communities.
Communities

You are Table Number FOUR
• Ready Set Go!
CREATIVE SPACES for Learning and Making
Communities

You are Table Number FIVE
• Ready Set Go!
CENTRES OF LEARNING
Communities

You are Table Number SIX
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for community organizations
Communities

You are Table Number SEVEN
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Schools and Boards of Education
Communities

You are Table Number EIGHT
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Federal and Provincial levels of government
Communities

You are Table Number NINE
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Municipal and County governments
Communities

You are Table Number TEN
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT EQUALIZERS in any setting – rural, remote, small town,
reserve, urban, and suburban.
Communities

You are Table Number ELEVEN
• Ready Set Go!
CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE for increasing the capacity for 21st Century
Digital Skills
Communities

You are Table Number TWELVE
• Ready Set Go!
the one GREAT PLACE that serves EVERYONE
Communities

You are Table Number THIRTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
COMMUNITY HUBS
Communities

You are Table Number FORTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
CULTURAL DESTINATIONS and CULTURAL INCUBATORS
Communities

You are Table Number FIFTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
supports for Indigenous (First Nation) residents and communities.
Communities

You are Table Number SIXTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
CREATIVE SPACES for Learning and Making
Communities

You are Table Number SEVENTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
CENTRES OF LEARNING
Communities

You are Table Number EIGHTEEN
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for community organizations
Communities

You are Table Number NINETEEN
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Schools and Boards of Education
Communities

You are Table Number TWENTY
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Federal and Provincial levels of government
Communities

You are Table Number TWENTY-ONE
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT PARTNERS for Municipal and County governments
Communities

You are Table Number TWENTY-TWO
• Ready Set Go!
GREAT EQUALIZERS in any setting – rural, remote, small town, urban,
and suburban.
Communities

You are Table Number TWENTY-THREE
• Ready Set Go!
CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE for increasing the capacity for 21st Century
Digital Skills
Communities
Communities

You are Table Number TWENTY-FOUR
• Ready Set Go!
the one GREAT PLACE that serves EVERYONE
Communities

Modernizing Ontario Public Library Funding

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