Customer Feedback Standards & Practices

Toronto Public Library's mission is to provide free and equitable access to high quality customer driven services.

Whether you talk to our staff in person at one of our branches, or contact us through the telephone or email, our staff have been trained to provide service that is: courteous, competent, timely, and helps you resolve your issues and concerns.

We value your feedback and welcome any comments you may have to help improve our programs and services.

If you have a suggestion, compliment or complaint

Talk to our branch or Answerline staff

Please offer your feedback to our staff at your local branch or through our Answerline service. Branch or Answerline staff will try to meet your needs as quickly as possible.

Use our Customer Feedback Form

If our branch or Answerline staff is unable to resolve your issues, they can assist you with completing a customer feedback form.

Contact one of our managers or staff

Our managers are also available to help you if our branch or Answerline staff are unable to resolve your issue or question. If you need to contact one of our managers, our staff can refer you to a manager or you can use our directory of management staff phone numbers and email addresses.

Discuss the matter with Senior Management

In the event that a manager is unable to resolve the issue, you can ask the manager for the name and contact information of the Director responsible for the issue in question. The contact information for our Directors is also available online and from our Answerline service.

Title Suggestions

We welcome your suggestions for titles to add to our collection. Suggestions from customers are considered as part of our regular selection and ordering process. Please complete this online form to recommend a physical book, DVD, etc. for purchase. Our Answerline service is available if you have questions.

Requests for Reconsideration

If you have concerns about an item in our collection, an art exhibit, a space rental event, or a program, we encourage you to speak with staff at your local branch. We value intellectual freedom and select our materials, programs, art exhibits and space rental events carefully.

Because of the importance we place on the services we offer, we have specific procedures for reconsidering library offerings. Branch staff can explain the process, provide information on our policies, and assist you with completing any necessary forms.

For more information, please review the following policies:

If you’re unable to visit a branch, our Answerline service is available to assist you.

Request for Reconsideration Procedures

* Materials remain available and exhibits, programs and space rental events continue during this process.

  1. Initial IntakeA customer contacts the library with an objection about a materials, exhibit, program or space rental event.
  2. Response (Step 1)Staff review relevant policy and Intellectual Freedom and Equity Statements with the customer.
  3. Response (Step 2)      
    • A Manager contacts the customer to review the objection.
    • If the objection is not resolved, the customer completes a Request for Reconsideration form.
  4. AcknowledgmentThe customer receives acknowledgement of the receipt of the Request for Reconsideration form from the relevant Department.
  5. InvestigationLibrary leadership and subject matter experts in the service area review the content, confirm policy compliance and discuss the objection.
  6. Communicate decisionThe Director’s decision is communicated to the customer.
  7. Appeal If not satisfied, the customer may appeal in writing to the City Librarian who will review the decision and reply to the customer with a final decision.

Annual Reporting

A report of completed Requests for Consideration from the prior year are reported annually to the Library Board and posted to the Centre for Free Expressions Library Challenges Database.

Find more information on the Intellectual Freedom and Toronto Public Library website.

Toronto Public Library: Customer Feedback Standard

All feedback will be acknowledged within two business days. Please note that when we acknowledge feedback by letter mail, letters will be sent out within two business days, but delivery time is dependent on the postal system.

Telephone and voice mail

  • Telephone calls will be returned within one business day. Personal voice mail greetings will be courteous, give the caller as much information as possible and request callers to leave a detailed message.
  • Voice mail boxes are cleared daily. Recorded vacation or absence messages will provide a co-worker's name and phone number as backup while out of the office.
  • Callers will be assisted and if needed, will be directed to the correct area. Callers will not be transferred to another voice mail box without being made aware.
  • Customers calling the correct area will have their issue resolved by involving as few Library staff as possible.

Emails

All emails will be acknowledged within two business days. Vacation or absence messages will be activated providing a co-worker's name and contact information as backup while out of the office.

Complaints

We place a high priority on your feedback and have an established Customer Service Feedback Procedure (PDF) which outlines how we handle formal comments received from members of the public.

Privacy

Feedback will be dealt with in a confidential manner according to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Information will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Act.

Scope

Our customer feedback standard applies to suggestions, compliments, comments, complaints and enquiries we receive through our feedback procedure from members of the public in relation to the library services they receive. This standard does not apply to anonymous feedback or feedback from staff members.

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