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Knowledge Ontario works in collaboration with Ontario public libraries to offer digital services to clients at library, at work and at home.

Resource Ontario online databases
Ask Ontario online chat reference help
Connect Ontario’s access to BiblioCommons discovery layer OPAC
Our Ontario online discovery of history, culture and digital collections

Knowledge Ontario and Ontario public libraries

From cultural, educational, recreational and personal development, through the earliest stages of childhood literacy through a lifetime of learning, Ontario’s public libraries fulfill a multiplicity of roles in their communities. In fulfilling these expectations there are numerous challenges that Ontario public libraries continue to face in order to remain relevant to their communities. Improving digital access to resources that are meaningful to distinct patron groups and responding to the shifting information-seeking habits of users are two on-going challenges that all libraries are managing and public libraries are no exception.

Compounding these challenges are shifting knowledge trends directly affecting public librarianship, including the expectation of advanced digital literacy that can be put into practice to instruct and provide digital access to resources and the ever-growing expectation that public institutions be rapidly responsive to the information-seeking needs of the public. Although there are ever-stretching resources and competing demands, it is more essential than ever that public library resources go beyond the bricks and mortar directly to their communities.

Knowledge Ontario solutions put public libraries front and centre in their communities, by ensuring that digital resources are easily accessible to diverse citizenries. Ontario’s public libraries directly collaborate by participating in selecting Knowledge Ontario resources, ensuring that these resources are of highest relevancy, are also easy to use for patrons and staff. Through resource sharing, Knowledge Ontario collaborates with big and small municipalities, leveraging their knowledge and providing access to information beyond their geographical boundaries. Public libraries are represented by two seats on the Knowledge Ontario board of directors.

KO Solutions

Resource Ontario e-resources offer public libraries:

Consideration. 09-10 database offerings with higher percentage of resources of interest to communities
A level playing field. Equitable access to resources an important element of this service. The same core databases are available to every community in Ontario and help bridge the digital divide experienced by rural, remote, northern, French-speaking and Aboriginal communities
Collaboration. Because the online resources are offered across publicly funded Ontario libraries, clients can access the same resources from home, from school and from work.
A say. Public libraries are involved in the database decision-making process -- representatives are part of the selection committee
24-7 service. From public library websites, anyone with a library card and internet service can access the databases, any time, any day
Outreach. Specific databases speak to non-traditional library users and extend the library community
Learning help. Many resources are specifically geared to help students
Currency. Given the economic times, Career Cruising and access to newspapers help job seekers as well as students thinking about the future
Training, promotions and more. Find what you need on the KO site, through the database vendors and our library partners.
Promotions. The vendors are creating many materials (videos, widgets, posters and more) specific to Ontario libraries for your use.

Ask Ontario chat help service offers public libraries:

Growth. As of September 09, Ask Ontario will be offered in 35 public libraries in Ontario.
Shared service. Your library staffs the askON or ONdemande services a set number of hours, but you can offer your community many more hours a week through participating in the shared service. Read more.
A way to serve your French-speaking population. The ONdemande service is the French language equivalent of askON and is staffed by bilingual library staff, accessing French language resources.
Community access. It extends what your library can offer. As a shared service, you benefit from the other libraries that participate. When the askON logo says “Open” on your library’s website, your community can be served through online research chat.
Library use. All participating libraries have access to the catalogues and holdings of the other participating libraries and direct clients to the resources found in their home communities, bringing them into the library or accessing their library online resources.
Meeting real needs. You’re serving your community in the ways they need from wherever they are – school, home or work. Another way for public libraries to become the real and the virtual “go to” information hub.
Progressive. Moves your library forward in skills delivery and tells your community you’re on top of trends.
Connection to schools. The public library is a pillar in the knowledge environment and the Ask Ontario services (real time chat, online research help) draws students and allows the library to connect with local schools.
Uses online resources. The chat help connects not only to your library holdings catalogue but also to the online resources offered through your library. Clients become aware and familiar with these resources.
Digital literacy. This serves library staff and clients. Library staff learn leading edge skills in innovative online resource help and clients learn how to refine research questions and use online resources and databases to find the trustworthy information they seek.
Support. Libraries participating in askON and ONdemande receive training before joining the program. Ongoing support is offered through policies, Knowledge Ontario staff, and through peer support at every shift.

Connect Ontario OPAC transformation offers public libraries:

Now available to all public libraries: Email David Thornley

Connect Ontario is working with BiblioCommons to offer public libraries a next generation discovery layer to transform your Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC). Take our online tour to learn more about what BiblioCommons has to offer.

In 2009 the early adopter phase of this project is seeing 12-15 libraries take on the OPAC and the process is being thrown open to all public libraries in the province.

The discovery layer is:

Involving. Clients bookmark, make reviews, tag favourites and much more
Attractive
Fun
Flexible. Allows your clients to log in once for many uses – to participate in contests and promotions and more
Web 2.0. Features for connecting, communicating, information-sharing, creating your own settings for ease of use.
Private. Clients include their own privacy settings.

Our Ontario digital discovery services offer public libraries:

For Ontario citizens:

The OurOntario.ca site helps Ontarians discover the extraordinary stories contained in the digital collections of public libraries, cultural and historical organizations – visually engaging and one stop search to thousands of digital videos, photographs, oral histories, brochures, newspapers, etc...
Easy way to find government documents –over 24,000 government documents of the Legislative Library in one place – govdocs.ourontario.ca

For your organization:

Toolkits, training, web hosting for your digital collections - available through Our Ontario with a community of support and ongoing innovation
Opportunity to make your local content available to your community, to Ontario and beyond
Locally branded websites for your digital collections, with interactive web 2.0 features for user engagement
Leveraging knowledge of community – tools that enable your community to add the stories, details, anecdotes and commentary to photos, letters, documents and more
Cultural preservation for future generations – a way to tell the stories of the past and the present - libraries are interviewing war vets, business people, local leaders and other interesting groups – we can provide the means to tell their stories and make them accessible to all