Ontario Library Association

Last updated
Ontario Library Association
Established1900;124 years ago (1900)
Type Library association
Location
President
Andrea Cecchett
Vice President
Sabrina Saunders
Website accessola.com

The Ontario Library Association (OLA) was established in 1900 and is the oldest continually operating library association in Canada. [1] With 5,000 members, OLA is also the largest library association in Canada [2] and among the 10 largest library associations in North America. [1]

Contents

The stated purpose of the OLA is to "give profile to the librarians, library workers and trustees in the school, college, university, public and special libraries of Ontario and to foster provincial programs that will improve library services in the institutions and communities our members serve and that will ensure equitable access to information for all citizens of the province." [1]

History

Founded in 1900, the OLA was formed after a meeting of the American Library Association held that same year in Montreal, at which meeting it was decided that a Canadian association was not currently practical. [3] Between 2006 and 2013, the OLA's office was at 50 Wellington Street, Toronto, Ontario. [4] In 2013, the OLA moved to their current address at 2 Toronto Street, 3rd Floor, Toronto, Ontario. [5] [4]

Structure and leadership

The OLA currently has seven divisions: [6]

Each division is headed by a President and Vice-President, who also serve on the OLA Board of Directors. The Board of Directors also includes the Executive Director and the Executive committee, composed of the OLA President, OLA Vice President, OLA Past President, and OLA Treasurer. [2]

Affiliates

The OLA is affiliated with:

Events and programs

The OLA runs several programs, services, and events. Three of its most prominent are the Forest of Reading program, the Library Marketplace, and the OLA Super Conference.

Forest of Reading

OLA's Forest of Reading is Canada's largest recreational reading program, which has grown to ten reading awards programs since the early 1990s. [11] [12] More than 270,000 readers participate annually from their school and/or public libraries. [12] The Forest award winners are chosen by votes cast by readers in the target age ranges for each of the specific book categories. Award winners are announced annually at the Forest of Reading Festival in Toronto. [13]

The stated goals of the Forest of Reading are:

The ten awards offered under the Forest of Reading umbrella are:

Library Marketplace/OLA Press

The Library Marketplace is the official store of the OLA [14] and supports the OLA's position as the Canadian agent for twelve major professional library publishers and the International Reading Association. [1] The OLA also operates its own OLA Press, which publishes books, reports, and governance information for the OLA. [15]

OLA Super Conference

Begun in 1902 as the OLA's annual conference, [16] the event was rebranded in 1995 as the Super Conference. [17] [4] Collectively, this history makes the Super Conference Canada’s largest continuing education event in librarianship. The Super Conference also includes within it Canada's largest library tradeshow. [18] The event is held annually in Toronto, Ontario.

OLA Presidents

Past and Present OLA Presidents By Year [19]
Year(s) of ServiceNameAffiliation
2020Andrea Cecchetto Markham Public Library
2019Richard Reid Durham District School Board
2018Kerry BadgleyNorth Grenville Public Library Board
2017 Leslie Weir University of Ottawa Library
2016Todd Kyle [20] Newmarket Public Library
2015Jane Hilton [20] Whitby Public Library Board
2014Anita Brooks Kirkland Waterloo Region District School Board
2013Susanna Hubbard Krimmer London Public Library
2012Karen McGrath Niagara College
2011Tanis Fink Seneca College
2010Mary Ann Mavrinac University of Toronto
2009Peggy Thomas Toronto District School Board
2008Sam CoghlanStratford Public Library
2007Esther Rosenfeld
2006Janet Kaufman University of Guelph
2005Cynthia Archer York University Library
2004Ken Roberts Hamilton Public Library
2003Liz Kerr Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board
2002Stephen AbramIHS MicroMedia
2001Michael Ridley University of Guelph
2000Elizabeth Hoffman Ryerson Polytechnic University
1999June-Elaine WilsonMinistry of Transportation Library
1998Brian Bell Oakville Public Library
1997Greg HaytonCambridge Public Library
1996John Black University of Guelph
1995Jane Horrocks Richmond Hill Public Library
1993-1994Janice Hayes CNIB Library for the Blind
1992-1993Allison Craig West Carleton Secondary School
1991-1992Paula de Ronde Toronto Public Library
1990-1991Stan Skrzeszewski Southern Ontario Library Service
1989-1990Wil VanderelstCabinet Office, Government of Ontario, Toronto Public Library Board, Canadian National Institute for the Blind Library Board
1988-1989Peter RogersCardinal Newman High School
1987-1988Gerry Meek Thunder Bay Public Library
1986-1987Gerda MolsonNiagara-on-the-Lake Library
1985-1986Penny McKee Aurora Public Library
1984-1985Alan Pepper
1983-1984Elizabeth CummingsLincoln Public Library
1982-1983Beth Miller University of Western Ontario
1981-1982Barbara Smith Peel Board of Education
1980-1981Jean OrpwoodNorth York Public Library
1979-1980Kenneth FrostNorth York Public Library Board
1978-1979Madge AllwoodSouth Central Regional Library
1977-1978Karen SmithSir Adam Beck Secondary School
1976-1977Andrew GregorovichErindale College Library
1975-1976Lawrence A. Moore Queen’s University
1974-1975Peter K. Mutchler Thunder Bay Public Library
1973-1974James J. Brown Waterloo Public Library
1972-1973Peter Hallsworth Sudbury Public Library
1971Fred Israel Windsor Public Library
1970-1971Irma McDonoughToronto Government Library
1969-1970John DuttonNorth York Public Library
1968-19689Erich R.W. SchultzWaterloo University Library
1967-1968Margaret WhitemanEtobicoke Public Library
1966-1967Albert W. Bowron Scarborough Public Library
1965-1966Leonard FreiserToronto School Library
1964-1965Grace Crooks Orillia Public Library
1963-1964Hilda M. BrookeEssex Public Library
1962-1963Erik SpicerFederal Government Library (subsequently Librarian of Parliament)
1961-1962Louise SchryverChatham Public Library
1960-1961Betty D. HardieEtobicoke Public Library
1959-1960C. Deane Kent London Public Library
1958-1959John D. Snell Guelph Public Library
1957-1958C.P. Crowley Windsor Public Library Board Trustee
1956-1957Mary Silverthorn University of Toronto Library School
1955-1956William L. GraffNorth York Public Library
1954-1955Dorothy Shoemaker Kitchener Public Library
1953-1954Isabel McLean Sudbury Public Library
1952-1953Robert KennedySpecial Library
1951-1952Gladys Shepley Windsor Public Library
1949-1951Lachlan Farquhar MacRaeFort William Public Library
1948-1949Mildred A. ClowKingston Public Library
1947-1948Ruby Wallace Niagara Falls Public Library
1946-1947Margaret S. GillOttawa Regional Library
1945-1946James J. TalmanLondon University Library
1943-1945Florence L. Cameron St. Thomas Public Library
1942-1943Wm. Stewart Wallace University of Toronto Library
1941-1942Freda F. Waldon Hamilton Public Library
1940-1941Anne I. Hume Windsor Public Library
1938-1940Kathleen ElliottGalt Public Library
1937-1938Edgar Urwin DickensonWallaceburg Trustee
1936-1937Dorothy CarlisleSarnia Public Library
1935-1936Marjorie Jarvis Toronto Public Library
1933-1935Lurene McDonald Hamilton Public Library
1932-1933T. Bart HowardLambton County Trustee
1931-1932Richard E. Crough London Public Library
1930-1931Aimee KennedyKingston Public Library
1929James SteeleStratford Trustee
1928-1929Lillian H. Smith Toronto Public Library
1926-1928Fred LandonLondon University Library
1925-1926E.A. HardyToronto Trustee
1924-1925G.W. RudlenArnprior Public Library
1923-1924W. BridenSt. Thomas Public Library
1922-1923W.H. MurchSt. Thomas Public Library
1921-1922W.J. Sykes Ottawa Public Library
1920-1921B. Mabel Dunham Kitchener Public Library
1919-1920D.M. GrantSarnia Public Library
1918-1919F.P. Gavin Windsor Public Library
1917-1918 Mary J. L. Black [21] Fort William Public Library
1916-1917George H. Locke Toronto Public Library
1915-1916David WilliamsCollingwood Public Library
1914-1915W.O. Carson London Public Library
1913-1914W.F. MooreDundas Public Library
1912-1913C.R. CharterisChatham Public Library
1911-1912L.J. Burpee Ottawa Public Library
1910-1911A.W. CameronWoodstock Public Library
1909-1910Judge Hardy Brantford Public Library
1908-1909W.A. Bradley Kitchener Public Library
1906-1908Norman S. GurdSarnia Public Library
1905-1906W.J. RobertsonSt. Catharines Public Library Board
1904-1905W. Tyler Guelph Public Library
1902-1904Hugh H. Langton [22] Librarian of University of Toronto
1900-1902 James Bain [23] Toronto Public Library

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References

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  6. "Divisions". Ontario Library Association. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  7. "Members". Canadian Federation of Library Associations. 2016-08-01. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
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  9. 1 2 3 "Affiliates". Ontario Library Association. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  10. https://broadview.org/fay-fluffy-storytime-interview/
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  12. 1 2 3 4 "About the Forest of Reading". Ontario Library Association. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  13. "Forest of Reading Festival |" . Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  14. "The Library Marketplace". The Library Marketplace. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  15. "About OLA Press". The Library Marketplace. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  16. Ontario Library Association. "We've got a job to do! 90th annual conference program 1992". vitacollections.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  17. Ontario Library Association. "OLA Super Conference 1995: Navigating the Third Millennium: The Future of Librarianship". vitacollections.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-09.
  18. "About | OLA Super Conference". www.olasuperconference.ca. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  19. "OLA Presidents". Ontario Library Association. 2020-07-08. Retrieved 2021-08-10.
  20. 1 2 "Board of Directors" . Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  21. "Mary Johanna Louisa Black". Ex Libris Association. 2018. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  22. "Libraries Today: Ontario's Libraries in the Twentieth Century". www.uoguelph.ca. Archived from the original on 2011-08-06. Retrieved 2017-01-31.
  23. Inc., Advanced Solutions International. "OLA's History". www.accessola.org. Retrieved 2017-01-31.{{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)