JANUARY 29, 2009

ONTARIO PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE AWARD WINNERS

McGuinty Government Honours Libraries For Innovation And Excellence

 

News

Ontario is awarding  five public libraries top honours for programs that promote literacy, engage the community and help achieve success for students.

Details of the Ontario Public Library Service Awards and winners are as follows:

The Minister’s Award for Innovation

• The Township of Russell Public Library’s Emporte Moi! Pick-Me Up! project encouraged reading and promoted Ontario authors.
• The Toronto Public Library’s Ontario Time Machine website encourages students to learn more about local Ontario history through fun and interactive technology.

Angus Mowat Award of Excellence

• Manitouwadge Public Library’s Fresh Starts project developed more user-friendly areas for people of all ages.
• Burlington Public Library’s Betty Blogger training team helped 90 customers successfully navigate a variety of web applications through an online, self-directed summer school.
• Kitchener Public Library gave female inmates at the Grand Valley Institute for Women an opportunity to communicate with their children through books, and learn the importance of reading, literacy and the public library.

QUOTES

“The Ontario Public Library Service Awards celebrate innovation and excellence in our public libraries,” said Culture Minister Aileen Carroll. “The programs recognized through these awards help strengthen our public library system and our communities.”    


QUICK FACTS



• The government of Ontario invests over $28 million annually in Ontario’s public and First Nations libraries.
• The government created the Public Library Service Awards in 1985 to honour innovative programs that improve literacy and promote lifelong learning and library use.




LEARN MORE




Find out more about how Ontario supports public and First Nations libraries




Contacts:
Sarah Petrevan, Minister’s Office, (416) 325-1676
Anna-Maria Mountfort, Communications Branch, (416) 314-3497