The Toronto Public Library Board met on March 23, 2015 at the Toronto Reference Library. Key topics discussed include:
2015 Work Plan – Strategic Plan
The board approved the 2015 work plan (PDF), including the following key priorities:
- Development of a new strategic plan
- Expansion of e-collections and online services
- Advocacy for access to e-content at fair terms with partner libraries
- Support for City initiatives, including the Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy 2020 and the Poverty Reduction Strategy
- Increasing access to after school programming for children and youth
- Advancing capital projects, including opening of the Scarborough Civic Centre, the 100th branch
- Driving an innovation agenda through a refreshed web design and new digital innovation hubs
- Supporting excellence in service delivery through succession management and a strong staff development program.
The work plan advances priorities outlined in the 2012-2015 strategic plan.
Sell Books Pilot Program
The Toronto Public Library Board voted to conclude the Sell Books pilot program effective March 31, 2015.
The pilot program was launched, at the direction of the board, to test the value and practicality of purchasing collections materials from the public. In December 2014, Toronto Public Library began purchasing additional copies of books from a list of the most popular adult fiction titles for $5 to supplement the existing holdings and reduce customer wait time for holds.
An information report (PDF) on the pilot includes an update on the program. As of February 27, 2015, 127 books had been purchased at a cost of $635. The copies purchased did not impact wait times for popular books.
A number of authors and publishers objected to the program because of its potential financial impact. It was noted that Toronto Public Library spends $18 million annually on acquiring new titles and that 80% of that is spent in Canada.
New TPL publication
Toronto Public Library’s most recent publication, Superbrain: the insider’s guide to getting smart, is now available at every Toronto Public Library branch, as well as in bookstores and other libraries across the country and around the world.
Superbrain is aimed for children from grades three to seven, to help them become self-directed learners and find joy in reading and learning about their passions.
The book is aligned with the library’s focus on children ages six to 12. In 2014, Toronto Public Library developed a middle childhood framework that outlines new directions for children’s services and speaks to the library’s evolving role in developing the joy of reading and literacy and learning for this age group.
Toronto Public Library is one of the world's busiest urban public library systems. Every year, 19 million people visit our branches in neighbourhoods across the city and borrow 32 million items. To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131. To get the most current updates on what's happening at the library, follow us on Twitter @torontolibrary.
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Media Contact:
Ana-Maria Critchley, 416-393-7212, media@torontopubliclibrary.ca