Friends of the Library

Friends honour long-time OPL Volunteer

carolyne — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:34:43 +0000

Recognizing 20 years of volunteer service, Elsie Kossatz (left) received a presentation from Friends of the Library chair Maureen Rudzik.

For the past 20 years Elsie Kossatz has been a dedicated servant of the Oakville Public Library. The Friends of the Library celebrated her commitment as a volunteer at the annual general meeting held in January.

Elsie began her volunteer work as a member of the Oakville Public Library Board. She served on the Information Oakville Advisory Committee in 1992. She was the OPL Board treasurer in 1996-’97.

Joining the Friends of the Library in 1998, Elsie became special events chair, and member at large from 2000-’01. Elsie received the Ontario Volunteer Service Award in 2010.

Members of the staff at Woodside branch and many of the patrons know Elsie for her volunteer work there. She works one day a week, every Friday—and she no longer lives in Oakville!

The fact of her having moved does not prevent her from continuing to provide the most delicious reception snacks following the annual general meeting each year. The care she takes in creating this luxury is really something special, and she’s been doing it for the last 13 years.

The Friends of the Library board thought it fitting that Elsie be recognized for the many years she has given in volunteer work to the library system. This year at the AGM, members of the board were delighted to be able to present a very small token of appreciation to Elsie in the form of a certificate of recognition.

Membership period changed

carolyne — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:33:07 +0000

After input from members the Board has decided to change the membership period to run for one year from April 1 through March 31. This change is effective immediately.

Memberships purchased after the Spring Sale will be available for $5.

Remember, the membership is a family membership and student memberships are available for $5 (Student ID needed)

Friends fulfilling advocacy function

carolyne — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 15:28:47 +0000

by Maureen Ellis Rudzik

Mission StatementThe Friends of the Oakville Public Library is a volunteer advocacy group dedicated to increasing awareness of the library’s programs and services, and the enhancement of those services for adults and children through participation in a variety of community events and fundraising activities.

Like Sharon Milne who spoke at the reopening ceremony of Woodside branch, I grew up in a home where there were few books. Since there was a world war going on during my childhood, there were very few books being published.

It’s when things are really dire that we as a society appreciate what is very important to us. The library was considered an “essential public service” and kept its opening hours all through the war. Our local branch suffered one hit, but closed for only one day and was open for business the next.

The Friends of the Library considers OPL to be essential to the community, and our mission statement includes the function of advocating on behalf of the library. In the past year, with much negative press around library cutbacks in Toronto, the Friends organization has emphasized a desire for healthy library service in Oakville. Continuing this mission of advocacy, we suggest that our members and supporters keep themselves informed annually on the Town’s budget process, and let their councilors know how much our library services are valued.

The problem is that it’s too easy to take our libraries for granted. The library today is an institution that is changing rapidly. While still the repository of books and periodicals, the library now does much more. Patrons may have noticed the new e-readers that the Friends helped introduce with funding assistance.

The intent with the e-readers was for library users to get a feel for this new technology. The library was immediately swamped with demand for the e-readers—no less than 600 “holds” in the first few days! The library’s e-book database currently contains more than 40,000 items.

At the library you can build your computer skills with courses, and even work one-on-one with a tech coach (I am taking advantage of this one myself!) Most of these services are free.

Let’s not forget the Friends’ funding for the digitization of the history of Oakville. Many residents have contributed elements of their family histories to the library’s database. And for new Canadians the library offers a wide range of programs, including language courses and preparation for the Canadian citizenship test.

So the library has changed a great deal, but it is still an essential institution. In times of economic downturn, the library is used more than ever. And you, the patron, are really its best advocate.

The dictionary defines an advocate as “someone who speaks or writes in support of something.” The town has recently finished allocating money in its 2012 budget, and funds for the library were not cut.

So please stay in touch with your local councilor or e-mail the mayor’s office and tell them how much you appreciate what the library system here in Oakville has to offer.

Help keep the library one of the most important public service institutions in Oakville.

Folio — Friends fund new teen book depot

carolyne — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:05:15 +0000

by Chris Zabel

The teen book depot located in the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre opened for use in April

You don’t even need a library card! The purpose of the teen book depot is to make reading materials as accessible as possible for young people. The collection in the Queen Elizabeth Park Community and Cultural Centre is the fifth depot located in Oakville.

The Friends of the Library sponsored the new teen book depot with $3,500 funding this year.

The youth drop-in centre at QE Park opened at the beginning of April and is starting out with a selection of about 200 volumes. This number will grow as the collection is used and there’s an indication of the sorts of books most in demand. To start with there is a solid selection including Harry Potter, the Twilight series, the Hunger Games books, and many graphic novels.

“I’m the type of librarian who thinks that if you can get a teenager to read a cereal box, that’s a good thing,” said teen services librarian Elise Cole. She’s responsible for setting up and maintaining the depots. Cole explained that the hope with the teen book depots is to catch the attention of young people who might not be actively seeking out books to read. The ultimate goal is improved literacy skills.

OPL created the first teen book depot in the Youth Centre on Cross Avenue five years ago. Since then, they’ve also been located in the Bronte Youth Centre, Kerr Street Ministries and the YMCA.

“Youth centres are places where young people who don’t have any place else to go will hang out, and they’re safe places,” said Cole. In designing the teen book depot collections, she explained that the goal is to provide what the teens want to read, without any type of educational bias or agenda.

The depots seek to provide reading for pleasure as a positive end in itself. There’s also the hope the depots are removing any financial impediment to young people obtaining the popular titles that might interest them the most.

Books are checked out on the honour system, which has actually proven to work amazingly well.

There’s also the intent that teens will spend some time reading while they’re in the youth centre. “Part of the reason we’re stocking a lot of graphica is that it’s easy to pick up and put down,” said Cole.

Teen book depots of this type are unique to Oakville. Cole said she would like to continue developing the program, perhaps providing collections to the group homes operated by Halton Children’s Aid Society.

Folio — Branch Snapshot — Woodside Branch reopens

carolyne — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:01:34 +0000

by Maureen Rudzik

“Sorry I’m late, but on the way here I dropped by the library. Woodside branch has reopened and, oh my, I simply got caught up admiring the renovations. They did such a beautiful job!”

At the grand reopening for Woodside branch are Sharon Milne (left), Mayor Rob Burton, Councillor Pam Damoff, and Acting CEO Charlotte Meissner.

The above comments, and many similar, were overheard earlier this year in the neighbourhood of the Woodside branch of the Oakville Public Library. The facility reopened late last December after a four-month closure to correct problems with the building’s foundation. While work was ongoing, a number of additional improvements were made.

The front customer service area is completely reconfigured and split into two desks, offering speedier checkouts. There’s new carpeting throughout the facility and new seating. The general impression is that the space is bigger and brighter.

Most significant is that Woodside is now compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. A new larger room houses the special audio-book collection, along with the Kurzweil reading machine and DAISY book reader which was a donation of the Friends of the Library.)

This mosaic wall located inside the Woodside branch used to be an exterior wall before the building was expanded. Before recent renovations it was hidden behind book shelves.

At grand-opening celebrations in January, the featured speaker was simply a member of the community who wanted to share the value that Woodside branch brings to her family.

Sharon Milne paid tribute to both the staff and collections at Woodside:

I am the very proud mother of four wonderful children ranging in age from 7 to 13. I say “No” to a lot of things that most parents say “Yes” to. But the two things I have never said “No” to are the study of music and books. Books have been so important in my life. However, it didn’t start off that way. I did not own even one book as a child and I was never read to.

I was determined that my children would be surrounded by literature. Now, they all have a deep appreciation of books. I love that they are all voracious readers. I relish the fact that my 10-year-old expresses how wonderful it is that, even though her books no longer have pictures, she can vividly see what’s going on in her mind’s eye. “Well, my dear,” I say to her, “That is what good writing is all about.”

We started visiting the Woodside library branch about five years ago, shortly after we moved to this area. We immediately felt a connection. There is something very special about Woodside. There is an intimacy about it, where one instantaneously feels welcomed. It is, in my opinion, the very essence of community. I am always greeted by the lovely staff. They have been so good to me, but not just to me. I notice that they are just as helpful and friendly to everyone, and they receive all patrons in the same manner.

We visit the library anywhere from once to several times a week. Anytime I announce I’m going, there is much bustle as my kids drop whatever it is they are doing to quickly get themselves organized and into our vehicle. It is quite evident to me that the library is one of their favourite places. So when we learned that Woodside was going to be closed for four months, our hearts unanimously sank. “What are we going to do?” the children asked. “Where will we go?”

The tiling around the new customer service desks at Woodside echoes a mosaic feature wall located inside the branch.

“I can take you to Central,” I appeased. Now, Central branch is wonderful and I have nothing negative to say about it; however, it’s not Woodside. Woodside has the comforts and coziness of home. It was deeply missed while going through renovations. It was as if a good friend had moved away. We drove by often to watch the progress of renovations from the outside, and could hardly wait until it reopened.

We were extremely thankful that Kinoak Arena offered its space for all of us from Woodside. How good of staff to recognize the need to have a drop off and pick up zone for library books and materials. Indeed, that is what community is all about. We’re thrilled to have Woodside back, along with all the familiar faces, and equally thankful to all those who helped make the transition possible and seamless. It’s good to be back home.