February 1, 2007

CULTURE MINISTER CELEBRATES AWARD-WINNING PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Awards Recognize Innovation And Creativity

TORONTO — Six Ontario public libraries received provincial Public Library Service Awards for programs that promote library use, improve literacy and make local history more accessible to residents, Minister of Culture Caroline Di Cocco announced today at the Ontario Library Association’s annual conference.

“This year’s awards reflect the diversity of the public library’s role, and underline its importance to our quality of life,” Minister Di Cocco said in her remarks. “They fulfill a crucial role as community hubs of literacy, learning and citizen engagement.”

The six award recipients are:

1. Orillia Public Library for Lifescapes, a program that encourages adults to preserve their personal history by writing their memoirs. The program will conclude with a book launch to celebrate the completion of an anthology;


2. Toronto Public Library for Mastering Research Skills. This program resulted in the publication of Research At My Brain and The Research Virtuoso, two guides for students and researchers;


3. Ramara Public Library’s new website Our Ramara celebrates the community’s unique local history and culture, and fosters civic pride;


4. Hamilton Public Library’s full-service virtual library branch (www.hpl.ca) seamlessly connects people, information and technology through the safe infrastructure of a trusted institution – the public library system;


5. Port Hope Public Library’s initiative Library.Card.Cool @ Port Hope Public Library encouraged every child in Port Hope to own and use a library card; and,


6. Mnjikaning First Nation Public Library, near Orillia, for its celebrations program for First Nations Public Library Week 2006. Preserving our Cultures, Story by Story…Building our Communities, Book by Book promoted aboriginal authors and their stories, as well as an appreciation of aboriginal culture.

“The government of Ontario invests almost $30 million annually in Ontario’s public and First Nations libraries,” said Di Cocco. “We are working together to improve the delivery of library services.  Our success comes from creative and innovative approaches and I’m proud to be here to celebrate the people behind that success.”

The Public Library Service Awards were created in 1985 by the Ontario government to recognize and promote creative public library service initiatives. A jury drawn from Ontario’s public library community reviewed entries from across Ontario.

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Contacts:
Mark Thompson, Minister’s Office, (416) 325-4071
Guy Lepage, Communications Branch, (416) 314-3497

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