Ontario Public Library Week: October 18 – 23

Today kicks off the beginning of Ontario Public Library Week. Libraries have brought and continue to bring community together, but this Ontario Public Library Week looks significantly different than past celebrations.

The public health crisis we are experiencing has reinforced the need to be connected with one another, and has underscored the importance of strong public services. Public libraries support communities; they bring people together through programming for children and adults, they provide valuable resources including books and computers, and they support communities in many other ways. All of these efforts are made possible by dedicated library workers.

Across the province, libraries have changed and adapted to continue to support the communities in which they are located. Stories have been read to children online, books have been lent and returned with safety precautions in effect, and some have pivoted to support their community by turning into food banks.

While we celebrate public libraries this week, we cannot forget that library workers are the heart of your library. Library workers: we thank you.