Volunteer Recognition
National Volunteer Week
is celebrated April 24-30, 2022. The CEO said that volunteers have always
been important for OPL’s success and thanked the 108 volunteers who
contributed more than 700 volunteer hours in 2021! She said that OPL looks
forward to being able to celebrate volunteers in-person again in the near
future. She also thanked the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association
(FOPLA) which provides funding for numerous wonderful initiatives at OPL
through their sale of used books. The CEO indicated that she also has the
privilege of thanking the Board Trustees, for all the time that they
contribute to the Library: attending events, visiting branches, participating
on Ad hoc Committees, and most importantly, guiding the direction of the organization.
She notes that Trustees are both caring and passionate stewards of the
library system.
Provincial Election
The provincial election
will be held in June. The CEO noted that, as has been done in the past, the
Ontario Library Association and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries
have developed an Elections Toolkit with resources to support public
libraries with their advocacy efforts. The toolkit includes resources for
engaging with candidates or campaign staff through letters, social media, and
meetings. In the coming weeks, staff will use the Toolkit to draft letters
for local candidates, advocating for library services. The CEO indicated that
support for local stakeholders, decision-makers, and leaders is essential to
ensuring that libraries in Ontario get the support they need.
Ādisōke Update
The CEO remarked that, in
the past few weeks, there has been a lot of movement at the Ādisōke
construction site. The project reached a noteworthy milestone with the
installation of the tower crane, which is easy to notice when someone passes
by the site. She indicated that this is an important achievement, since it
marks the start of significant construction lift-work to begin. Work is continuing
on the building foundation, and formwork has begun. For additional details on
the construction work, the CEO encouraged everyone to visit
Ādisōke.ca.
Student Placements at OPL
The CEO indicated that
OPL is proud to be hosting nine Library Technician student placements this
spring. These placements are a key recruitment strategy for OPL, as more than
30% of the unionized positions in the organization require a minimum of a
Library Technician diploma. She thanked the OPL teams that are hosting these
students and Algonquin and Mohawk colleges for partnering with OPL.
Recognition – Brenda
Gorton
The CEO was pleased to
acknowledge the upcoming retirement of one of OPL’s key business partners,
Brenda Gorton. Ms. Gorton has been the City of Ottawa Financial Services
Account Manager assigned to OPL for more than two decades, almost since
amalgamation. Over the years, Brenda has been a trusted advisor to OPL in all
financial matters, providing guidance and clarity on both the financial
governance side, as well as the detailed accounting side. She has seen the
organization through interesting financial environments, kept OPL on the
straight and narrow, and helped to streamline accounting both on the
operational and capital sides. The CEO said, more than anything, Brenda has
been a friend to OPL, and supportive of our mission. While Brenda will be
missed around the office, the CEO noted that she is deserving of moving into
retirement, and the rest and relaxation (or new-found hobbies) that this will
bring. The CEO congratulated Brenda and thanked her for all her hard work and
guidance, and wished her all the best in retirement.
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