
Impacts of Budget Cuts to OLS-N & SOLS on “day-to-day operations of Ontario’s Public Libraries”
April 19, 2019
Ontario Library Service – North and Southern Ontario Library Service are arm’s length agencies that have no involvement in the day-to-day operations of Ontario’s Public Libraries.
— Michael Tibollo, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport
In 2017-18, SOLS facilitated almost 440,000 borrowing requests from libraries and delivered almost 710,000 packages on our courier routes.
— Southern Ontario Library Service. 2017-18 Annual Report
On April 16, 2019, Barbara Franchetto, Chief Executive Officer of Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) announced that the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport would be cutting the SOLS 2019-20 budget by more than 50%. Ontario Library Service-North (OLS-N) was also presented with a 50% budget cut for the current fiscal year.
In a statement on April 18, 2019, Michael Tibollo, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, said that SOLS and OLS-N “have no involvement in the day-to-day operations of Ontario’s Public Libraries.”
On the same day, SOLS announced that its interlibrary loan delivery service will permanently cease to operate, effective April 26, 2019. The 24 drivers (full time, part time and occasional) employed by SOLS to deliver the interlibrary loans would be losing the jobs. In 2017-18, SOLS facilitated almost 440,000 borrowing requests from libraries and its drivers delivered almost 710,000 packages.
Public libraries across Ontario followed with announcements to their communities.
Southern Ontario Library Service
Read our post on SOLS Budget Cuts in 2019/2020: https://t.co/7xFxMuVAic
— SOLS (@solslib) April 16, 2019
Please read this statement from our CEO on how operating cuts to SOLS will affect Interlibrary Loan and Delivery starting April 26th: https://t.co/y61Ty2QeDc
— SOLS (@solslib) April 18, 2019
SOLS delivery service will permanently cease to operate, effective April 26th, 2019. Read on: https://t.co/qFrICSqDpG
— SOLS (@solslib) April 18, 2019
Aurora Public Library
Barrie Public Library
Bonnechere Union Public Library
Bracebridge Public Library
(County of) Brant Public Library
NO!!! All inter-library loan services provided by SOLS have been suspended until further notice. This is due to the recent cuts to SOLS (https://t.co/dYNTE2xQXU). If you have requested something using our ILLO service you will NOT receive your request. pic.twitter.com/RjqrWZ82t7
— Brant Public Library (@brantlibrary) April 18, 2019
Brantford Public Library
Brighton Public Library
Brockville Public Library
Bruce County Public Library
Carleton Place Public Library
Chatham-Kent Public Library
Clarence-Rockland Public Library
Our hearts are going out to those at SOLS who are losing their jobs because of the cutbacks. https://t.co/Dy94TFaVUc
— C-R Public Library (@BPCRPL) April 18, 2019
Please note that effective immediately, we will no longer be able to provide interlibrary loans to our patrons.
— C-R Public Library (@BPCRPL) April 18, 2019
Clearview Public Library
Collingwood Public Library
Deep River Public Library
East Gwillimbury Public Library
Due to the provincial government’s severe budget cuts to the Southern Ontario Library Service, Interlibrary loans will no longer be available after April 26th.
Please continue to support #mylibrary by returning your books and other items to your local branch by the due date pic.twitter.com/W3RKdsugrX— EastGwillimburyPL (@EGPublicLibrary) April 19, 2019
Essa Township Public Library
Fort Frances Public Library
Gananoque Public Library
Georgina Public Library
Greater Sudbury Public Library
Haldimand County Public Library
Haliburton County Public Library
Hornepayne Public Library
Kawartha Lakes Public Library
Kitchener Public Library
Leeds and the Thousand Islands Public Library
https://t.co/1KdczBtNWF
Due to budget cuts Leeds and the Thousand Islands Public Library will no longer be able to offer Inter library loans. This includes bookclub sets.— LTI Public Library (@ltipl) April 19, 2019
Madoc Public Library
Meaford Public Library
Merrickville Public Library
Middlesex County Library
Midland Public Library
Mississippi Mills Public Library
Newmarket Public Library
Niagara Falls Public Library
Niagara on the Lake Public Library
Norfolk County Public Library
Due to provincial budget cuts to @sols, interlibrary loans have been suspended until further notice. In 2017 (our most recent stats), 12,593 items were borrowed using this service. #NorfolkCounty
— NCPL (@norfolklibrary) April 18, 2019
North Bay Public Library
North Grenville Public Library
North Perth Public Library
Orillia Public Library
Otonabee – South Monaghan Public Library
Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library
Pelham Public Library
Due to provincial government cuts at @solslib (Southern Ontario Library Service), interlibrary loans and LiNC services will no longer be offered. #mylibrary pic.twitter.com/MyRmWpFRAp
— Pelham Public Library (@Pelham_Library) April 18, 2019
Pembroke Public Library
Perth & District Union Public Library
Perth East Public Library
Petawawa Public Library
Peterborough Public Library
Port Colborne Public Library
Powassan & District Union Public Library
Rainy River Public Library
Red Rock Public Library
Richmond Hill Public Library
St. Mary’s Public Library
Schreiber Public Library
Scugog Public Library
Shelburne Public Library
Six Nations Public Library
Springwater Public Library
Stratford Public Library
Thorold Public Library
3 replies on “Impacts of Budget Cuts to OLS-N & SOLS on “day-to-day operations of Ontario’s Public Libraries””
This cut by the provincial government destroys valuable services all over Ontario.
Another attempt by the conservatives to save money by downloading services and costs. The services provided by SOLS and OLS-N seem to be not understood by those making the cuts!
Can we do anything? There are many libraries on this list, that’s a lot of people power along with our patrons. Can we use that to our advantage to get the message across?