Attention: City Desk, Urban Affairs Columnists, News Editors
Matthew Church Elected Chair of Toronto Public Library Board
TORONTO (Wednesday, March 18, 2009) – The Toronto Public Library Board announced the recent election of Matthew Church to the position of Board Chair. Church joined the Library Board in 2004 and acted as Vice-Chair in 2007.
“I’m excited to help shape the future of Toronto Public Library, particularly as this time of economic uncertainty when libraries are more vital than ever to our city’s wellbeing,” said Church. “Like many Torontonians, I’m passionate about the library and believe that a flourishing library system is key to a strong city. I’m looking forward to working with my fellow Board members and Chief Librarian Jane Pyper to help Toronto Public Library thrive and evolve.”
A key objective of the Board is to ensure the library is successfully implementing its new strategic plan. The library conducted extensive research about the future of Toronto and consulted with the community to determine how it could best respond to the city’s needs. The plan focuses on the following key areas:
• Engaging Toronto’s diverse communities
• Addressing the city’s growing income gap
• Expanding access to technology and online services
• Supporting creativity and culture
• Supporting a sustainable library by protecting our resources and future.
Matthew Church’s professional background spans the literary and not-for-profit sectors. He currently oversees marketing and communications at Evergreen, a national charity that facilitates and funds community- and school-based greening projects in cities across Canada. Church has also worked as a director of marketing and communications at a national AIDS agency and, before that, as a magazine editor and writer for over 20 years.
Eman Ahmed was elected as Vice-Chair of the Toronto Public Library Board. Eman works for the Canadian Council of Muslim Women and for Action for Neighbourhood Change and volunteers on the Board of the Bloor Information and Life Skills Centre, a not-for-profit agency providing social services to diverse ethnic communities.
Other Toronto Public Library Board members are:
Councillor Paul Ainslie
Adam Chaleff-Freudenthaler
Councillor Janet Davis
Ann Decter
Tina Edan
Kathy Gallagher Ross
Okeima Lawrence
Councillor Chin Lee
Councillor Anthony Perruzza
Councillor Adam Vaughan
Kate Wilson
Toronto Public Library is the world's busiest urban public library system. Every year, more than 16 million people visit our 99 branches and borrow almost 30 million items.
To learn more about Toronto Public Library, visit our website at www.torontopubliclibrary.ca or call Answerline at 416-393-7131.
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Media Contact: Ana-Maria Critchley, Manager, Corporate Communications,
(416) 393-7212
amcritchley@torontopubliclibrary.ca