Toronto Public Library: new fines, trouble with e-books helped complaints spike in 2012, Toronto Star report

Things have settled down now, but some observers say city’s ombudsman should have jurisdiction... "Library records obtained by the Star show complaints leapt to 7,627 in 2012, from just 2,191 in 2011, but dropped back to 3,875 in 2013 as ..." Continue reading Toronto Star  By: Samuel Greenfield, Staff Reporter, Aug 28 2014

On the same shelf:

• Toronto Public Library's site: A $1.00 fine will be charged for each hold you do not pick up.

  "You can cancel a hold at any time - whether it's outstanding, in transit, or available for pickup. When your hold arrives at the branch, you have 7 days to pick it up. In order to avoid the Holds Not Picked Up fine and allow others to get materials sooner, make sure to cancel your hold before 9:00 p.m. on the expiry date."

• Mississauga Public Library: Holds  "A $2 service charge will be added to your account for any holds you do not pick up" (Does it mean only physical or even e-books, not sure, comment by blogger!!!). "Please notify the library as soon as possible if you cannot pick up a hold. ...  These instructions are intended for items that you pick up at the Library.
  If you are looking for instructions on how to place holds on eBooks and eAudioBooks (for devices such as computers, tablets and smart phones), visit our help page."

Dr. Seuss book Hop on Pop : Ban @ Toronto Public Library???

Hop on Pop (I Can Read It All By Myself) 
Dr. Seuss 

Toronto residents asked their public library to remove six books and a DVD over the past year, and one of those books was Dr. Seuss's Hop on Pop. The classic rhyming tale of fatherhood and saltation was accused of putting pops at risk of being actually hopped on.

The complaint argued that the book "encourages children to use violence against their fathers," and demanded that the library "pay for damages resulting from the book."

The library's Materials Review Committee, which takes all complaints, even those of obvious trolls, "very seriously," declined to remove Hop on Pop. They described it as "humorous" and "well-loved," and pointed out how many times it's made best children's book lists.  continue reading: Toronto Library Asked to Ban Hop on Pop to Protect Dads @ gawker.com

Loved by generations, this “simplest Seuss for youngest use” is a Beginner Book classic. See Red and Ned and Ted and Ed in a bed. And giggle as Pat sits on a hat and on a cat and on a bat . . . but a cactus? Pat must NOT sit on that! This classic Beginner Book makes an ideal gift for Seuss fans and is an especially good way to show Pop some love on Father’s Day!

Originally created by Dr. Seuss, Beginner Books encourage children to read all by themselves, with simple words and illustrations that give clues to their meaning.

Dr. Seuss book Hop on Pop does not encourage ‘violence against fathers,’ library says in rejecting ban request nationalpost.com

"Despite a demand to ban the Dr. Seuss book Hop on Pop because it “encourages children to use violence against their fathers,” the Toronto Public Library rejected the request after careful consideration."

On the same shelf:

• Toronto Public Library asked to pull Dr. Seuss book 'Hop on ... CTV News
• “Violent” Dr. Seuss book should be banned from library, patron says ... Toronto Star -- 

  "Toronto Public Library's annual list of challenged items includes beloved children's picture book, Hop on Pop."

Self-Publishing Debate Between People-Powered Publishing Struggle, Libraries, Publishers, Information Industry, etc.,

PS. This debate gets a new life with a  link that is now @ Toronto Public Library's Information for Self-Published Authors.

“Whatever you may have heard, self-publishing is not a short cut to anything. Except maybe insanity. Self-publishing, like every other kind of publishing, is hard work. You don’t wake up one morning good at it. You have to work for that.” Zoe Winters; 

“In old days books were written by men of letters and read by the public. Nowadays books are written by the public and read by nobody.” Oscar Wilde (Goodreads) 

-- See more quotes about writing, reading and publishing, here

Library side of the debate:
The following is the summary of three articles to show the true colors:

"In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the concept of book self-publishing for fiction and nonfiction began to loom large in the North American publishing universe. As traditional mainstream publishers consolidated and were often loathe to take chances on unknown writers whose books might not turn immediate profits, some authors found that fewer and fewer publishing venues were open to them. As a result, new self-publishers—collectively called “author services” or print-on-demand (POD) publishers—appeared alongside subsidy (or vanity) publishers. Against the background of an increasing corporatization of mainstream publishing, book self-publishing can theoretically be situated as one of the last bastions of independent publishing. This article examines how academic and public libraries dealt with the book self-publishing phenomena during 1960–2004. To what extent did libraries collect fiction and nonfiction published by self-publishing houses? Can any patterns be discerned in their collecting choices? Did libraries choose to collect more titles from “author services” publishers than subsidy publishers?" Dilevko, Juris  and Keren Dali, The self-publishing phenomenon and libraries, Library & Information Science Research, Volume 28, Issue 2, Summer 2006, Pages 208–234

"The boom in self-publishing has created a market of hundreds of thousands of new books a year. The Library of Congress doesn’t catalog most of these. Is it fair to dismiss these books as “vanity publications,” or are there some valuable resources in this book glut for collections-development librarians to explore? Are there sensible ways of acquiring these books? And how do Web searches affect types of content we haven’t always seen as having value?" Dawson, Laura. The Role of Self-Publishing in Libraries, In Library Trends 57 (1) Summer 2008: 43-51

The discussion of self-published titles in libraries has increased in recent years, in direct proportion to the angst surrounding ongoing ebook licensing negotiations with major traditional publishers. Prompted by the prospect of limited availability of popular titles or higher prices—probably both—­librarians are understandably weighing alternatives that might satisfy readership demands.

There are, however, very real barriers that must be overcome before self-publishing is likely to be even a small component of many collection efforts. Some barriers will fall away naturally as this growing market gains momentum and filters its way into downstream publishing markets like libraries, while others will require a more concerted advocacy effort to overcome. ... [continue reading:  Stigma; Availability; Scale & discoverability; Reviews; Enthusiasm vs. demand; Consider a different approach]. What’s the Problem with Self-Publishing?  by Josh Hadro, Library Journal, 2013.

 See also:

• Toronto Public Library, Information for Self-Published Authors   
• Adventures in self-publishing By Scott MacDonald Quill & Quire
• Self-publishing and Libraries, By Annoyed Librarian
• Self-Publishing Skyrockets | PubCrawl Library Journal
• Getting Your Self-Published Book into the Library, Interview by Lindsay Buroker, Indie Fantasy Author
• The Seattle Public Library, Purchasing Guidelines For Authors And Publishers: We also may acquire self-published books when they include unique local content, fit the scope of the Library's collection plan and meet our selection criteria.
• Do Libraries Acquire Self Published Books?
• How to Get a Self-Published Book into Libraries
• Self-publishing and Libraries | The Passive Voice
• Libraries need to catch up with self-publishing
• Self-publishing in Hungary. New challenge for libraries: indie authors and their content

Other sides of the debate:

• Why Not Consider Publishing Your Own E-Books
• Reasons Not to Self-Publish in 2011-2012: A List themillions.com
• PW Announces Self-Published Books Supplement; "Non-Traditional" Works Remain Sticking Point for Libraries by Josh Hadro  -- See more links here
• People-Powered Publishing Is Changing All the Rules : "Authors are actively choosing to self-publish books, giving them better control over rights, distribution, pricing and resurfacing trends like serialization."
• Self-Publishing Debate: A Social Scientist Separates Fact from Fiction | Digital Book World
• Diaspora Dialogues: There's now an MA program in self-publishing at the University of Central Lancashire.
• Digital Self-Publishing: It’s Still Self-Publishing
• AWP Nugget: The Bubbling Debate over Self-Publishing
• Traditional vs. Self-publishing is a False Dichotomy
• Sarah Baker on the great self-publishing debate | Sin and Syntax
• The Self-Publishing Debate Continues: Hardcopy vs. Electronic Books
• Seven Marketing Strategies for Your Self-Published Novel  millionpens.com

First-ever Forum on the Future of Toronto Public Library

First-ever Forum on the Future of Our Public Library – Sunday, November 24th – 2 pm to 4pm – Council Chamber – City Hall - See more at:http://ourpubliclibrary.to/#event 

Toronto has the busiest and, by most measures, the best library system in North America. But this precious public asset, founded in 1883, is falling behind. How could it not, after 20 years of political neglect and budget cuts? 

More service reductions are being planned for 2014 and beyond. Toronto Council is closely divided on this issue. Major decisions will be made soon. Your voice will make a difference. continue reading more @ Mayank Bhatt posted in Generally About Books

On the same shelf:

Red Hook Public Library offers help signing up for health plans Airdrie Public Library encourages patrons to get in their good books

Browsing the Toronto Public Library stacks for inspiration

PS. This post is inspired by Mayank Bhatt posted in Generally About Books

What is the strength of Toronto Public Library, if you wish to visualize 'Toronto City?'

A Boolean search by title (Toronto AND city) shows 374 titles in the Toronoto Public Library

Items that I can...

Borrow and take home  (21)

Only use in a library  (353)

Type

Books  (280)

eBooks & Online Content  (1)

Movies & Videos  (1)

Magazines, Newspapers & Journals  (10)

Microforms, Maps & Computer Disks  (89)

Publication Year

2011-2013  (3)

Last 5 Years  (9)

2000 to present  (49)

1900-1999 (20th century)  (243)

1800-1899 (19th century)  (65)

more...

Subject

Ontario  (261)

Toronto  (223)

Toronto (Ont.)  (49)

Environmental aspects  (39)

Airports  (35)

more...

See also: Browsing the city stacks for inspiration - Writer in Residence - Shawn Micallef torontopubliclibrary.typepad.com (PS. A comment suggests this should be titled: 'Walking the City for Inspiration....' )

Together, we can roll back the Provincial library cuts!

Extract:

e-activist.com

Please ask Premier Wynne to reverse cuts to public library operating grants, cut in half largely at ... click here: e-activist.com

Info courtesy: Mayank Bhatt @ Generally About Books : Sign the petition...

Ads coming soon to Toronto Public Library date-due slips

Daniel Dale, Urban Affairs Reporter, Toronto Star

Extract:

Don’t forget to bring back No Logo on time. And don’t forget the Golden Arches.

The Toronto Public Library has issued a request for proposals in search of a company to sell advertisements on the back of date-due slips. A second request for proposals seeks a consultant to “evaluate all library channels and vehicles” for other advertising opportunities.

Both requests were approved by the library board in February. The library system has never before sold ads outside its publication What’s On, though it allows companies to sponsor programs like the TD Summer Reading Club.

continue reading

Will a library strike affect you -- cp24 poll

What do the people say @ CP24.com:

Yes (24 %) 830 votes
No (76 %) 2573 votes

NEWS UPDATE: Toronto’s Public Library workers on strike as talks stall, National Post
Extract: We entered this negotiation with the goal to protect workers and the services they provide — we were not seeking major gains,” Maureen O’Reilly, president of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union, says.

on the same shelf:

Libraries need to evolve The Queen's Journal

Close libraries? Nonsense, say supporters, Belleville Intelligencer
‎

Closing libraries not simple story | Toronto & GTA

Story time to go: Libraries try to reach kids who aren't being ... The Washington Post

How to cut council spending without closing libraries The Telegraph

Blackburn library users face reduced hours Lancashire
‎

Library union brought to book: Levy, The Sun
‎

Margaret Atwood fights library cuts, crashes petition server

Post update: Doug, now, knows Atwood, Toronto Star, Sep 20 2011 'He knows what I look like now!!!'

Doug Ford and Margaret Atwood meet at party for former arts adviser

David Rider Urban Affairs Bureau Chief, Toronto Star Fri Jul 22 2011
Literary icon Margaret Atwood has joined the fight against a consultant’s proposed cuts to Toronto’s library system, marshalling her 225,200 Twitter followers and crashing a server hosting a petition.

At 4:15 p.m. Thursday, Atwood retweeted this from @sonalogy: “Toronto’s libraries are under threat of privatization. Tell city council to keep them public now.”

That drove a flurry of users to the petition and, shortly after 6 p.m., crashed the server of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union, CUPE 4948, which was hosting it.

... Atwood has kept up the pressure Friday, tweeting several times from @margaretatwood, including “Here is direct link to the @torontolibrary petition http://t.co/hPNMV8P to stop closure & privatization. Thanks to all, pass it around.”
Continue reading the story

See also:

Atwood's library; Time for public libraries to update their outdated business model, Solomon, Lawrence. National Post [Don Mills, Ont] 06 Aug 2011: FP.17.

Abstract (summary)
The Toronto Public Library book lending system, in fact, would serve the vast majority of its members better by replacing its local branches with satellite kiosks, much as the postal system sold off its oversized buildings and placed kiosks in drug stores and shopping malls. The book retailers are not only more numerous and so likelier to be conveniently located, they also keep more convenient hours and have knowledgeable staff who can enhance the lending library experience -they stock enough books to offer a true book-browsing experience, for example, and they can sell people like me an e-book reader to allow me to make better use of the Toronto Public Library offerings. continue reading: National Post

Are public libraries an essential service? Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says ‘no’—but he’s wrong  macleans.ca  

So why are libraries under siege? The general consensus among the library-savvy in this country echoes the view of one former public librarian and professional researcher on Vancouver Island I spoke to:

“The public library doesn’t perform its traditional mandate anymore because information and how it’s accessed has changed so rapidly. Also, resources are spread too thin among branches, when they should be merged rather than duplicated. And a lot of librarians currently perform the duties of social workers and teachers, looking after latchkey kids when social workers should be monitoring them. We should consolidate public libraries and community centres—blend their budgets staffs—so they can do their jobs much more efficiently.”

Fans of Toronto Public Library 's post on Deskilled staff: Is that like deveined shrimp?

Strike Averted: CUPE library workers reach a tentative agreement with the Toronto Public Library Board ~~ (November 4, 2009)


Extract. Info courtesy: Connie Crosby

20 October 2009 — Joe Clark

Quote: "I walked out of Danse Danse Évolution and saw a couple of guys handing out flyers. Efficient library outreach! I thought. Nope. UNION!

I must say, the library union isn’t doing a very good job of scare mongering.

Unions are great sometimes and lousy other times, and neither of those things some other times. That’s my opinion. It’s probably your opinion. Only right-wing assholes think unions are never a good idea, and not even union stalwarts think they always are. (Be honest.)

I talked to the guy who handed me this leaflet. When I told him I write this blog, he took a quarter-step back and started treating me like I was radioactive. “Yes,” he said warily. “I have heard about it.” Well, good – you shoulda.

The leaflet makes the claim that the TPL Board “wants to… stay open to midnight with no professional librarians and many more part-time staff [and] get rid of reference desks.” I have asked around and concluded this is wilful exaggeration, reiterated in a union blog post." Unquote.

TPL Union news update:

• The Library Board's Vision / Toronto Public Library Workers Union's Vision
• STRIKE VOTE: Toronto Public Library at a Crossroads PR-USA.net (press release) Oct 12, 2009‎
  
• Library staff votes to strike, but talks continue, Globe and Mail - Jennifer Lewington - ‎Oct 10, 2009‎
• 2,400 library workers vote to walk out Toronto Sun - Oct 10
• Library workers give union strike mandate, October 09, 2009, John Spears, Toronto Star

A tale of two countries' libraries - Canada vs USA

In recession-wracked U.S. cities they are being targeted for closure. Not so here

Sep 20, 2009 Toronto Star

Lynda Hurst
Feature Writer

EXTRACT: "What Canadians won't be seeing in the years ahead is outsourcing, which is happening in several U.S. states, most famously in Jackson County, Ore.

In 2007, it re-opened the doors to 15 public libraries after a lack of funds had forced them shut, the largest library closure in U.S. history. In the interim, the county outsourced them to a company called Library Systems & Services which now privately manages more than 50 across the U.S.

The American Library Association opposes creeping privatization, calling libraries "not a simple commodity but an essential public good that should be directly accountable to the public they serve."

"That trend," says a thankful Pyper, "is invisible up here." One thing librarians know for sure: The future is going to be expensive, but ensuring that people are literate – in all forms and formats – will pay big dividends, economic and otherwise, down the line."

Library Services for Newcomers to Canada: Embracing Cultural Diversity

by Kendra Bender (MLIS student, School of Library &
Information Studies, University of Alberta, CANADA), Information for Social Change Issue 26: Winter 2007- 2008.
Excerpt from the Canadian Library Association 2007 Students Article Contest
Press Release states: "The second runner-up is Kendra Bender for "Library Services for Newcomers to Canada: Embracing Cultural Diversity". Kendra is a student in the MLIS program at the School of Library and Information Studies at the University of Alberta. Comments on this entry were that it incorporates both personal experience and a professional research approach, it was well-written, timely and focuses on Canada. Kendra will also receive a cash prize courtesy of the Wosk Family and a choice of CLA publications." Read full press release.
Extract:
"...To help public libraries improve collections and services for Russian immigrants in Toronto, Dali (2004) conducted a study of the reading habits of this population. Unfortunately, the majority of respondents sampled in her survey were not satisfied with the collection of Russian-language books in their public libraries. However, the public library was characterized as a “place to spend time”, where English language materials about the history and customs of their new country could be accessed for free.[23] Accessing materials for free was a theme that reoccurred in Dali’s research. Improved income did not seem to reduce the respondents’ inclination to use the public library for acquiring desired Russian-language titles (if available), precisely because they were offered at no cost." continue reading
See also on the same shelf:

• Diversity Resources - Accommodation, Tolerance and Coexistence
• Religious Education of the Young - Multifaith Resource Series no.1
• Save the Time of the Godly: Information Mediators Role in Promoting Spiritual & Religious Accommodation

•  The Countries You May Like to Go with your American / Canadian MLIS - A literature survey
• Factors in success or failure of foreign-trained librarians in Canada