KO's history:

The initial vision: an Ontario Digital Library (ODL)

The idea that became Knowledge Ontario is credited to a large founding group and developed over time.

The Ontario Library Association (OLA) acted as a catalyst, bringing together the stakeholders needed to create the Ontario Digital Library (ODL). They include more than 2000 public libraries, universities, colleges and school libraries, as well as Ontario government ministries. Key developmental milestones are highlighted below.

Winter 2001: Exploration meeting of ODL concept: Skydome Hotel; led by Elizabeth Hoffman (OLA President 2000) and Michael Ridley (OLA President Elect 2001).

Spring 2001: Spark group formed to flesh out the concept and secure initial funding in OLA Leadership Forum: Science Centre.

Winter 2002: Ontario’s Libraries Working Together: A Proposal to Create the Ontario Digital Library published and submitted

Spring 2003: $100,000 joint funding from OLA and Ontario Knowledge Network for Learning (OKNL) was assigned to create a Business Plan to transform the ODL vision into reality. Task Force created and consultants hired to develop Business Plan.

Fall 2003: Connecting Ontarians: The Ontario Digital Library Business Plan was completed and delivered to newly-elected Liberal government.

Winter 2004: Joint Ministry of Culture – ODL Management Group Task Force struck: chaired by Assistant Deputy Minister Marjorie Mercer and Peter Rogers, Chair of ODL Task Force.

Winter 2005: Ministry of Culture provides initial grant of $700,000 to fully develop the project plans and begin work on the Our Ontario and Resource Ontario project streams.

Spring 2005: KO Management Group formed. Interim Executive Director Gerda Molson hired.

Knowledge Ontario takes flight

Winter 2006: Knowledge Ontario Business Case completed and submitted to the Ministry of Culture. In recognition of the goals and the initiative, the name of the organization is broadened to become Knowledge Ontario (KO). KO Website launched at http://www.knowledgeontario.ca/. Our Ontario project manager Loren Fantin hired.

Spring 2006: Culture provides funding of $8 million to establish the organization and begin implementation of the Business Case. The OLA acts as steward and fund holder on behalf of KO. Ask Ontario project starts up, joining the Our Ontario and Resource Ontario initiatives. Ask Ontario project manager, Virginia Roy hired. Each project stream has a Steering Committee to guide its efforts.

Summer 2006: Resource Ontario project proceeds to negotiate and sign two-year contracts with two major database vendors to provide equal access to online licensed electronic resources including full-text of newspapers, magazines and books to all Ontarians, free of charge (effective January 2007). It involved the first ever province-wide consortium of over 2000 public, university, college, school and Ontario government libraries.

Spring 2007: A contract is signed between BiblioCommons and partners, KO and Libraries Branch, British Columbia Ministry of Education, to provide rich social networking software as part of the online public access (OPAC) of public libraries in each jurisdiction thus launching Connect Ontario.

Knowledge Ontario incorporation completed and inaugural meeting of the board

Summer 2007: Teach Ontario (subsequently renamed Learn Ontario) begins to explore future plans and possibilities.

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