Setting the Scene…

• Just to set the scene, we wanted to tell you some of our assumptions for this presentation.

• Our first assumption is that Heather and I are librarians who are involved on a committee established by the Ontario Library Association’s Public Library sub-group, the OPLA.

• We have been asked by OPLA to put together an advocacy plan to encourage public library CEO’s, trustees and other interested parties to consider becoming involved with or to support an initiative to create a province-wide public library card. We are presenting our proposal for the first time at OLA’s SuperConference in early 2007.

• Because of the scope of this project, we are assuming that it is extremely early in the process, mainly to help keep it manageable for the twelve minutes we’ve been allotted for this presentation.

TOL-Free: First Steps Towards an Ontario-wide

Library CardPresented to: Members of

OPLA

OLA SuperConference

February 2, 2007

Prepared by: Jason Hammond and Heather McKend

Who Is The TOL-Free Card For?

• Robert Reed, 47, Businessman, Windsor, Ontario

Who Is The TOL-Free Card For?

• Paige Petersen, 21 Student, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Who Is The TOL-Free Card For?

• The Galleys, 37, 34, & 10, Summer Vacationers, Cottage Country, Ontario

Imagine This…

• What if your library card allowed you to borrow and return items at virtually any library in Ontario?

No Need To Re-invent the Wheel

• Alberta is currently the only jurisdiction in Canada with a province-wide library service.

Why The Ontario Library for Free (TOL-Free) Card Now?

• Ontario residents are increasingly mobile

• Libraries are seeing increased visits from non-residents

• The TOL-Free Card maximizes access to information for all Ontario residents

First Steps

• Expand our steering committee

• Write business plan

• Approach Ministry of Culture for their support

• Obtain funding for development work

• Communicate with stakeholders

Who Supports Us Already?

• Ontario Digital Library

• The Alberta Library

• Libraries in many smaller and northern Ontario communities

We Need Funding Support

• Ontario Provincial Government

• Federal Government

We Also Need Their Support

1. Library CEO’s

2. Ontario’s Public Library Trustees

3. Ontario Public Library Association (OPLA)

4. Ontario Library Association

5. Canadian Library Association (CLA)

6. Ontario municipalities, large and small

Issues

• What will it cost my library?

• Why should my library subsidize another library that gets less use?

• Will I get my books back?

Strengths

• There will be no extra cost to your library

• Most libraries see a roughly equal number of books going out as coming in

• Books will be returned promptly

Even Bigger Strengths

• Makes Ontario a leader in the national library community.

• Will have an economic benefit

• Establishes relationship for other joint programs between libraries

• Eventually will include other types of libraries

The TOL-Free Card Is:

• Easy to use

• Convenient

• Mobile

Who Wins?

• Businesspeople who travel for their work

• Commuters

• Families on vacation

• People in northern and smaller communities

• Students away from home

• Tourists within the Province

It Takes Baby Steps

Questions?