In 2016, Toronto Public Library (TPL) had its busiest year of the last ten. The results reflect TPL's strategic focus on digital and technology-based services, as well as literary and information-based programs for all ages.
- Electronic circulation increased 14.3%
- Physical circulation decreased 4.4%
- Sunday visits increased 10.9%
- Virtual visits increased 4.8% Programs offered increased by 10% and attendance increased by 4%
- Wireless sessions increased 23.4%.
Significant trends include:
TPL ranked first in North America in circulation, visits, and electronic visits per capita among libraries serving populations of two million or more in 2015, the latest year available for comparative data.
Key 2016 Achievements
As described in the strategic plan expanding access. increasing opportunity. building connections, we have outlined six priorities to focus on from 2016 – 2019.
Below are key 2016 achievements in each of these areas:
1. Advancing our digital platforms
Key Achievements
- Launched new user-centred services including responsive sign in, place holds, search and online payment.
- Introduced new children's website for ages birth-5 with new features including curated collections for young children. The site also highlights ebooks and other content formats available for young children. Helpful tips and early literacy research and background information are available to assist parents in helping their children develop pre-reading skills in fun and engaging ways.
- Reduced ebook prices for libraries through the Fair Ebook Pricing for Libraries campaign. Penguin Random House leads the way, working with Canadian libraries on ebook access and pricing issues.
- Launched a new emagazine service, Flipster, providing access to many popular titles. Flipster allows customers to read current and back issues of magazines on their computers or tablet.
- Launched the Criterion Collection. This new streaming video service offers unlimited access to over 350 influential feature and documentary films.
- Increased access to multilingual collections on the website. Customers can search and place holds for materials directly from the New to Canada portal by selecting the multilingual language collection from the Materials in Your Language section.
- Completed digitization of the Library's special collections. These collections feature more than 100,000 unique books, works of art, photographs, ephemera, maps and manuscripts from the Library's special collections are now available online.
2. Breaking down barriers to access, driving inclusion
Key Achievements
- Reviewed policy on fines and fees to support equity and inclusion which led to lower fines for all ages in October 2016 and a new membership category created for Adults under 25, with reduced fines.
- Supported accessibility, inclusion and quality of life in neighbourhoods across the city with three capital projects completed in 2016 (Beaches, Eatonville, Northern District).
- Expanded Sunday service to create year-round service at six district and two research and reference branches, and added an additional six neighbourhood branches to provide seasonal Sunday service. The total number of branches open on Sundays is now 33.
- Piloted models for embedded librarianship and active resident engagement with four embedded librarians working at the Toronto West and Toronto East Detention Centres, Elizabeth Fry Society, Toronto Employment and Social Services, and the Spot - Jane Finch Community Centre. The first pilot runs from September 2016-August 2017.
- Piloted wifi hotspot lending program in partnership with the City of Toronto and Google Canada. In the first phase of the project, 210 participants took part from six branches in Neighbourhood Improvement Areas. Mayor Tory, executives from Google Canada and pilot participants were on hand for the launch of the project last June.
3. Expanding access to technology and training
Key Achievements
- Launched new Digital Innovation Hubs, and four Pop Up learning Labs available in library branches and communities across the city. These labs visit branches on a monthly rotation, bringing emerging technologies and staff-led programs to users of all ages.
- Continued funding from the City's Poverty Reduction Strategy enabled The S.P.O.T. at Malvern to thrive with a Digital Innovation Hub and a revitalized recording studio.
- Partnered with industry technology leaders which leverage resources, increasing service quality and accessibility. Established Innovation Council with public and private partners. First meeting was held in November 2016. Google community grant enabled us to hire virtual reality filmmaker Elli Raynai as our Innovator in Residence at Scarborough Civic Centre Branch.
- Partnered with the City of Toronto and the Toronto Business Development Centre to bring Entrepreneur in Residence Sima Gandhi to Toronto Reference Library.
- Launched in-branch CISCO telepresence technology with Chris Hadfield in November 2016. Young people at select TPL branches and an Indigenous community in Northern Ontario had the opportunity to interact with Colonel Hadfield.
- Focused on the City of Toronto Poverty Reduction Strategy in our second successful Hackathon in partnership with the Toronto Open Data Institute, City of Toronto and Social Planning Toronto.
- Launched Digital Privacy Initiative with guest speakers from the Library Freedom Project, Canadian Civil Liberties Association, and Citizen Lab at the Munk School of Global Affairs, University of Toronto.
4. Establishing TPL as Toronto's centre for continuous and self-directed learning
Key Achievements
- Launched pilot project with Chang School at Ryerson to expand access to business courses for professionals and the public as a model for future partnerships. Four courses were offered in 2016.
- Launched new eLearning page. The new page features online courses and provides resources for practicing the International English Language Testing System exam, and for LSAT, MCAT, GMAT, GRE, TOEFL and other standardized tests.
- Expanded digital training capacity through the library's in-branch Learning Centres, including new equipment like 3D printers and scanners.
- Launched Sun Life Financial Musical Instrument Lending Library in April 2016, as a response to trends in the sharing economy through established programs such as tool, seed and kitchen libraries.
- Offered 21 summer camps in 16 branches, and after school clubs for children ages 6-12 at 39 branches.
5. Creating community connections through cultural experiences
Key Achievements
- Streamed and recorded much of our world class literary programming in the Bram & Bluma Appel Salon. Used interactive social media to engage new audiences and build communities of readers. Established podcast channel on Soundcloud and iTunes featuring select programs. Experimented with live streaming on Periscope and Facebook Live.
- Refreshed cultural partnerships increased exhibit and engagement opportunities. This past year, the library partnered with IFOA to deliver Book Bash: Canadian Children's Literature Festival. We also partnered with Myseum Toronto to present Cosmopolis Toronto, a city-wide photo exhibit exploring the journeys of newcomers to Toronto. Cisco Canada helped deliver a Chris Hadfield program to four branches and a northern Ontario Indigenous community.
- Shared TPL Stories on TPL's Facebook and Instagram pages; these short stories about library users and staff highlighted what TPL means to users, staff, and communities.
- Launched Chinese Canadian Archive Project with user-generated content. This project archives the rich history of Chinese Canadians in the Greater Toronto Area from 1878 to the present, through individual or organizational records, photos, documents, diaries, memoirs and videos. This makes important resources available to researchers, lifelong learners and other members of the public.
- Assisted in the settlement of Syrian refugees, in partnership with government and community partners. The Library completed an extensive program of outreach visits, welcome events and information/training sessions to support Syrian refugees and private sponsors.
- Welcomed Syrian families at a newcomer event including a Sun Life Museum + Arts Pass initiative where 1,100 vouchers were distributed to Syrian newcomers who registered for a library card.
- Participated in outreach to Government-Assisted Refugees (GARS) living in hotels which included children's programs and distribution of publisher-donated new children's materials.
6. Transforming for 21st century service excellence
Key Achievements
- Renovated branches helped create cultural assets in local communities through outstanding people-centred architecture and design, exhibit, rehearsal, performance and work space, with an emphasis on flexible spaces. 2016 projects included: Albion, Agincourt, Wychwood, St Clair/ Silverthorn, North York Central and Dawes Road.
- Updated service delivery model to reflect future-oriented requirements for digital and branch platforms.
- Participated in the city's joint real estate redevelopment program which provides increased revenue to fund state of good repair backlog.
- Developed Business Intelligence Strategy to understand and respond to customer needs.
- Dedicated library resources to support the Toronto Public Library Foundation in achieving ambitious fundraising goals in support of strategic priorities. We implemented key donor-funded initiatives - including Sun Life Musical Lending Library and TD Summer Reading Club Rebrand.
- Increased revenue with launch of new premium space rentals and promotion of community room rentals.
- Continuous Professional Development for all librarians & orientation/training for first year librarians introduced January 2016. Speaker Series and think tanks are ongoing. The Role of the Librarian program was redefined to deliver on key strategic outcomes: digital service delivery, technology and user education, out of school time programs, high quality lifelong learning and cultural programs, partnership development and community engagement
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