Library Land Loves

Ontario Library Association
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Education
  • Updated Monthly

Library professionals are passionate about a lot of things. Be it the pop culture they consume or the databases that drive their libraries, Library Land Loves A Lot!

  1. Jun 10

    Spring Gathering

    In this episode of Library Land Loves, we’re taking you inside the Spring Gathering—a powerful and meaningful event that brings together members of the First Nations Public Library (FNPL) community from across Ontario.    Through conversations with organizers and attendees, we explore the purpose behind the gathering, the importance of the FNPL network, and what makes this space so unique. You’ll hear directly from participants about why they attend, what they take away, and how this gathering supports their work and strengthens their communities.    Whether you’ve experienced the Spring Gathering firsthand or are learning about it for the first time, this episode offers a glimpse into the relationships, reflections, and values that shape this important community.    To learn more about the Spring Gathering and the work of First Nations Public Libraries, visit:  First Nations Public Library community resources  Ontario Library Association – Indigenous Community of Practice   📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠

    37 min

  2. May 26

    A Conversation with Margie Singleton

    Michelle Arbuckle sits down with recently retired library leader and past recipient of OLA’s W.J. Robertson Medallion for Public Librarian of the Year, Margie Singleton—an inspiring force in Canadian public libraries whose legacy continues to shape communities across Vaughan and beyond.    Over the course of her remarkable career, Margie led Vaughan Public Libraries through a period of bold growth and meaningful transformation. Her leadership has been especially transformative during moments of challenge as well. But beyond the milestones and achievements, Margie is perhaps best known for her unwavering commitment to mentorship, public service, and empowering the next generation of library professionals. Her passion and impact shines through this thoughtful, energizing episode about leadership, innovation, and the lasting power of libraries to connect and care for their communities.    Whether you’ve worked alongside Margie, been inspired by her work, or are simply dreaming big for your own library, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.  ******* 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠

    44 min

  3. May 6

    What’s going on in Alberta? with James Turk

    Today we’re diving into one of the most pressing issues facing libraries right now: intellectual freedom, and the growing wave of challenges to it across Canada.  Over the past year, we’ve seen a sharp increase in attempts to restrict access to materials, particularly in school libraries, alongside rising political pressure, public controversy, and questions about governance, policy, and professional expertise.  To help us make sense of what’s happening, we're joined by James Turk, Director of the Centre for Free Expression, who has been closely tracking censorship trends across the country, and his latest report offers one of the clearest and most comprehensive national pictures we have of how and where these challenges are unfolding, and what they mean for library workers, boards, and communities.  ******** Centre for Free Expression - Profiles of Challenged Book  Report for Freedom to Read Week - The Rising Demands for Censorship: Challenges in Canadian Libraries in 2025 by James L. Turk  "Alberta's access restrictions threaten privacy and democratic role of libraries, critics say" (CBC, April 13, 2026)  “Responding to Alberta Government’s Defense of Public Library Takeover” (CFE Blog post, April 30, 2026)   Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries   ******** 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    46 min

  4. Apr 28

    Forest of Reading Festival

    Welcome to Library Land Loves. Every May, the OLA hosts the largest literary event for young readers in Canada, and it’s called the Forest of Reading Festival.    In case you aren’t familiar with it, we host this annual event at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto, and we welcome young readers from all over to get involved in author and illustrator workshops. Plus, they get to have nominees sign their favourite Forest books, take part in games and activities, win prizes, and so much more. It’s a blast, always full of high energy, music, and the voices of excited readers. One of my favourite parts is hearing the rollercoaster screams and cheers as readers see these authors take the stage for awards.   In celebration of the OLA’s 125th Anniversary, Michelle is speaking with one of the Forest of Reading’s most decorated nominees and winners. Eric Walters is a Canadian author of over 150 young adult fiction and picture books, and is, of course, a very familiar face at the Forest of Reading Festival.   ******* Visit Eric Walters’ website and discover all of his books - https://ericwalters.net/   Forest of Reading Festival tickets are on sale to OLA Members starting January 28th, 2026, and sales open to the public on February 4th, 2026  https://forestofreading.com/buy-your-tickets/  ******* 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    27 min

  5. Apr 14

    Prison Library Funding

    Welcome back to Library Land Loves. This week, our host Michelle Arbuckle (Executive Director of the OLA) is speaking with two of the proponents leading the way in the movement to support prison library funding, Keersten Wurmann and Tom Best. Prison libraries play a critical role in promoting rehabilitation, literacy, and mental well-being for incarcerated individuals, and they are in particular jeopardy at the moment.  You may have seen the news about Canadian prison library funding and the significant cuts proposed, with plans to eliminate librarian positions that will affect library services and threaten inmate rehabilitation and recidivism.   So what can be done to intercept these measures? How do we advocate for the right to read in prison environments? ******** Open letter started by Book Clubs for Inmates  Visit the website for Book Clubs for Inmates  GELA Prison Libraries Project   Learn more about the Manitoba Library Association Prison Libraries Committee  Review the CFLA-FCAB Endorsement of the Prison Libraries Network's Position Statement on The Prisoners’ Right to Read   Correctional Service Canada. (2025). Commissioner’s Directive 720.   De Agostini, Michelle. (2022). Locked Up Libraries: A Critique of Canadian Prison Library Policy. Journal of Radical Librarianship.   IFLA (2023). Guidelines for library services to prisoners. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.   Joint Statement Regarding Plan to Phase out CSC Librarians and Library Workers.   Saskatchewan Library Association. Prison Library Sub-committee.   United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2015). The United Nations standard minimum rules for the treatment of prisoners (the Nelson Mandela rules). United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.   ******** 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    40 min

  6. Apr 3 ·  Bonus

    Canadian Culture 3-Part Special! Part Three: National Canadian Film Day

    Welcome back to Library Land Loves. Throughout the month of April, there are several high profile events taking place across the country, including The Juno Awards, Canada Reads, and National Canadian Film Day. As our fearless leader, Michelle Arbuckle takes a well-deserved break, we have Emily Burns and Gina Freitag filling in to bring you all the important Can-Cultural news from across the land. The OLA team has connected with libraries and archives that are participating in these celebrations, bringing you a behind-the-scenes peek at the scale of these collaborations, and the energy and planning that goes into each one. Never ones to overwhelm, we've decided to divide each conversation into its own episode, and for Part Three, Emily is getting the lowdown on how The Film Library & Media Archives at the University of Toronto are getting into the spirit of National Canadian Film Day. National Canadian Film Day takes place on April 15th this year. Let’s dream together!Film Library and Media Archives (U of T)website Bluesky Instagram  Facebook Collection Search 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    34 min

  7. Apr 2 ·  Bonus

    Canadian Culture 3-Part Special! Part Two: Canada Reads

    Welcome back to Library Land Loves. Over the month of April, there are several high profile events taking place across the country, including The Juno Awards, Canada Reads, and National Canadian Film Day. As our fearless leader, Michelle Arbuckle takes a well-deserved break, we have Emily Burns and Gina Freitag filling in to bring you all the important Can-Cultural news from across the land.The OLA team has connected with libraries and archives that are participating in these celebrations, bringing you a behind-the-scenes peek at the scale of these collaborations, and the energy and planning that goes into each one.Never ones to overwhelm, we've decided to divide each conversation into its own episode, and for Part Two, Gina is getting you the inside scoop on how Cote Saint-Luc Public Library engages patrons with their very own Canada Reads competition. CBC's Canada Reads book debate episodes are available here 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    23 min

  8. Mar 26

    Canadian Culture 3-Part Special! Part One: The Junos

    Welcome back to Library Land Loves. Have we got a treat for you. Over the next month there are several high profile events taking place across the country, including The Juno Awards, Canada Reads, and National Canadian Film Day. As our fearless leader, Michelle Arbuckle takes a well-deserved break, we have Emily Burns and Gina Freitag filling in to bring you all the important Can-Cultural news from across the land. The OLA team has connected with libraries and archives that are participating in these celebrations, bringing you a behind-the-scenes peek at the scale of these collaborations, and the energy and planning that goes into each one. Never ones to overwhelm, we've decided to divide each conversation into its own episode, and we're diving in today with Emily's dispatch from Hamilton Public Library and the work they're doing in the lead up to this week's Juno Awards. Visit the Juno Awards website / check out the Juno  winners and nominees  Read more about the Junior Junos and Juno Stories from the Studio  Check out the Hamilton Public Library staff Junos List!  📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠

    29 min
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About

Library professionals are passionate about a lot of things. Be it the pop culture they consume or the databases that drive their libraries, Library Land Loves A Lot!

Information

  • Creator
    Ontario Library Association
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    100
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Ontario Library Association
  • Show Website
    Library Land Loves

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