2-Year Study To Look At Library Impact In Small/Rural Northern Communities

By Angela Gemmill

Over the next few years, Ontario Library Service North will be looking at how libraries impact small or rural communities in Northern Ontario.

The provincial government announced this week $113,000 towards the two year study.

CEO of O-L-S-N, Leanne Clendening-Purpur explains the pilot study will involve a half-dozen libraries: three in the Northeast and three in the Northwest.

Although O-L-S-N is managing the study, the initial research will conducted by the six libraries.

Clendening-Purpor hopes the results from the study will find best practices to share with other libraries, but also find gaps that need to be addressed.

She feels public libraries provide a valuable outlet for communities because they help meet different types of needs, for different ages of residents.

For example libraries provide a safe haven for children who might not have any other productive place to go after school.

Libraries also work as employment assistance, life-long learning and provide community development.

The funding announcement was made around Family Literacy Day in Canada, which is marked on January 27th.

Clendening-Purpor feels families need to read together and children need to see adults reading, as a way to encourage a life-long love of reading.