Ottawa – City Council has approved the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) 2021 budget of $54.331 million, an increase of $2.13M over 2020, which includes funding for both operating and capital expenses.
The 2021 budget focuses on reducing barriers by funding the material recovery model and responds to shifting customer preferences due to COVID-19 by increasing funding for eContent (eBooks, eAudiobooks, and online resources).
The Materials Recovery Model eliminates late fees and opens the Library to more people, allowing OPL to take concrete action in removing a systemic barrier and move forward in its commitment to racial and social equity. This change is expected to result in more cardholders, better access to library resources, an increase in circulation, and greater recovery of Library materials. More than 155,000 current customers with outstanding late fees will benefit immediately from this model.
OPL Board Chair and Councillor for Orléans ward Matthew Luloff said: “OPL’s 2021 budget is centered around a strategic change for library operations – the elimination of late fees. Late fees have kept some members of our community away from the Library which is counterproductive to OPL’s purpose. On behalf of the OPL Board, I am pleased that we have been able to allocate a significant portion of our budget increase to improving social equity.”
OPL CEO Danielle McDonald added,“2020 has reminded us of the need for human and social interaction, and that as an institution, we have systemic barriers that we must address. The approved budget helps us to continue in our mission to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people.”
Funding has also been allocated for a series of branch improvements across the system, namely new shelving and service hubs, as well as an exploration of services to the Carlington community, and the advancement of a library branch to accommodate growth in Orleans/Cumberland. The Library remains committed to facility lifecycle improvements to ensure continued investment in public assets.