Category: News

House Finance Committee amendment reinstates protection for Library Book Rate

During its clause-by-clause review of the Budget Implementation Act (Bill C-15), the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance adopted an amendment put forward by the government to reinstate protections for free literature for the blind and reduced postage rates for library materials in the Canada Post Corporations Act.

The committee’s report to the House of Commons includes:

In accordance with its Order of Reference of Wednesday, December 10, 2025, your committee has considered Bill C-15, An Act to implement certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2025, and agreed on Monday, February 23, 2026, to report it with the following amendments:

Clause 196

That Bill C-15, in Clause 196, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 296 the following:

“(3.1) The Corporation must provide for

    1. ) the transmission by post, free of postage, of letters, books, tapes, records and other similar material for the use of the blind; and
    2. ) a reduced rate of postage for library materials lent by a library to a borrower, including by means of an interlibrary loan.”

News of the amendment was shared by the National Network for Equitable Library Service (NNELS) and the Centre for Equitable Library Access (CELA) in an email to their stakeholders.

Bill C-15 must now be sent back to the House of Commons for Report Stage and 3rd Reading. Once passed, it will proceed to the Senate. We do not expect any major changes to this section and certainly none that should cause further harm to Canada Post rates for library materials or materials for the use of the blind.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported and helped in this important advocacy work. NNELS and CELA worked collaboratively with the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL), and Public Library InterLINK on this issue. We also worked alongside CNIB, Braille Literacy Canada and other disability partners – all of our voices together have collectively made a difference.

Source: Librarianship.ca

Join us online for a heartfelt gathering as we remember and celebrate the life and legacy of Dick Ellis. It’s a great chance to share stories, honour his impact, and connect with others who admired him. Don’t miss this special event where memories come alive and friendship shines!

Date: February 23, 2026 by Zoom

3:30 pm PST /4:30 pm MST/5:30 pm CST/6:30 pm EST/7:30 AST/8 pm NST

Please register here

Speakers: Mike Nyby, Diane Keeping

You can also leave tributes to Dick at https://exlibris.ca/history/memories-and-tributes

Hosted by former members of the Canadian Federation of Library Associations Intellectual Freedom Committee

An Amherst, N.S., public library employee warns that reduced staff hours will slow services and book deliveries between libraries, negatively impacting users.

Adam Davies, a library assistant at the Four Fathers Memorial Library, told CBC News on Friday that he received a letter earlier in the week telling him and seven other employees they will be working 10 per cent fewer hours.

“We’ve taken on so many other responsibilities, especially after COVID,” he said. “A lot of our public libraries are focused on social cohesion. We’re focused on well-being. We were really developing programs that engage our youngest readers.”

The person responsible for children’s programming at the branches saw their hours cut, said Davies.

The cuts affect employees who work at the headquarters for Cumberland Public Libraries, of which there are seven branches.

“The job is pretty full and pretty demanding and there’s lots of things to do … We’re not having the time to get these things accomplished,” said Davies.

CBC News contacted the Cumberland Regional Library Board for comment, but did not receive a response.

Ashley Nunn-Smith is the chair of the Council of Regional Librarians, which represents the nine regional library systems. She said over the past few years, libraries around the province have been silently making cuts, but that “2026 represents a real cliff.”

“We have stretched our budget as far as it can be stretched. There is no way to stretch it any further,” said Nunn-Smith.

A year ago, the council requested an additional $1.6 million in emergency funding, which was granted by the province.

However, the council’s request to change a funding formula that better reflects higher costs and inflationary pressures has not happened.

What the province is saying

The province said it is reviewing the recommendations.

“The annual budget is currently underway and decisions about library funding are made through this process,” wrote a spokesperson for the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage in an emailed statement.

“More information will be available when the provincial budget is tabled.”

The budget will be released during the upcoming sitting of the legislature, which begins Feb. 23.

Public libraries received $16.4 million in from the province in the 2024-25 fiscal year, with the same amount budgeted for 2025-26.

Financial pinch

As for Davies, he said the reduced hours will cost him $5,000 annually.

“My son just started university, he’s in his first year of university,” he said. “We’re all kind of feeling that financial pinch and this is one that we’re going to have to make some adjustments to build into our financial plan now.”

Source: CBC Nova Scotia

The AC Hunter Public Library in St. John’s unveiled a new display with books about difficult topics for children. Librarian Jan Moffett hopes stories about things like addiction or the death of a loved one can help children and parents share and grasp these sensitive concepts.

Video at link

Source: CBC Newfoundland & Labrador

This spring, we are delighted to welcome back an important event for library workers across the province: the NLLA Annual Conference. As we plan for its return, we are seeking volunteers to join us on the conference planning committee.

This is a wonderful opportunity to help shape and revitalise a valued professional gathering and to contribute to its long-anticipated renewal. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Janet Goosney at jgoosney@mun.ca by Friday, February 20th.

Our 2026 theme is Overdue, but Not Lost: Renewing Our Community. Additional details will be shared in the coming weeks as planning progresses. We hope you’ll consider being part of this exciting return.

 

Together We Thrive: Sustaining Libraries and Communities
APLA 2026: Call for Proposals

Le français suit

The APLA 2026 Conference Team invites proposals for consideration for presentation at the 2026 in-person Annual Conference from June 15-18, 2026, at the Delta Dartmouth Hotel in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Our theme is: Together We Thrive: Sustaining Libraries and Communities

Library workers are no strangers to handling challenging situations, and the last few years have brought more than their fair share. With this year’s APLA theme, we are looking for proposals that highlight how library professionals of all kinds come together to work through challenges big or small, figure things out, and continue to help and grow with our communities.

We want perspectives from students, public libraries, academic libraries, school libraries, health libraries, special libraries, archives, non-profit organizations, student support departments/organizations, community groups and more!

We are seeking presentations in the following format categories:

  • Pre-Conference Workshop (time to be determined)
  • 45 Minute Presentation (35 mins with an additional 10 mins for questions)
  • Half-hour Presentation (20 mins with an additional 10 mins for questions)
  • Interactive panel discussions (45 minutes)
  • Micro Talks (5-10 minutes)
  • Proposals that do not fit the above timeframe and structure will be considered by the team but selection is dependent on schedule, logistics and other proposals.

Submit your proposals via PheedLoop (APLA Conference 2026) by March 6, 2026.

You will be asked to include the following information:

  • Title
  • Type: Pre-Conference Workshop, 45 Minute Presentation, Half-hour Presentation, Panel, Micro Talk
  • Name, title, institution of presenter(s)
  • Two-sentence bio of the presenter(s)
  • Abstract (250 words or less)Language of presentation
  • Contact information including email and phone number.

Presenters will be notified by March 31, 2026, via email, if they are selected to present at the conference.

Presenters are responsible for their own registration, lodging, and travel.

We request that presenters make their presentations available on the conference website.

Questions? Email conference@apla.ca for more information.

———————————————————-

Ensemble nous prospérons : Soutenir les bibliothèques et les communautés
APLA 2026: Appel de propositions

L’équipe de la Conférence de l’APLA 2026 vous lance un appel de propositions pour notre conférence annuelle en personne du 15 au 18 juin, 2026.

Notre thème est : Ensemble nous prospérons : Soutenir les bibliothèques et les communautés

Le personnel de bibliothèque est habitué à gérer des situations difficiles, et ces dernières années leur en a présenté plus que leur juste part. Dans le cadre de notre thème cette année, nous sollicitons des propositions qui mettent en évidence les façons dont les professionnels de bibliothèque de toutes variétés s’unissent pour relever des défis (petits ou grands), trouver des solutions, et continuent à aider et grandir avec nos communautés.

Nous souhaitons connaître le point de vue des personnes étudiantes, bibliothèques publiques, bibliothèques universitaires, bibliothèques scolaires, bibliothèques de santé, bibliothèques spécialisées, archives, organisations à but non lucratif, services/organisations d’aide aux personnes étudiant.es, groupes communautaires et bien d’autres encore!

Nous sollicitions des présentations dans les catégories suivantes:

  • Atelier pré-conférence (durée à être déterminée)
  • Présentation de 45 minutes (45 min avec 10 min additionnelles pour questions)
  • Présentation d’une demi-heure (20 min avec 10 min additionnelles pour questions)
  • Table ronde interactive (45 minutes)
  • Présentation éclairs (5-10 minutes)

Les propositions qui ne respectent pas les critères du temps et de la structure ci-dessus seront quand même considérées par le comité. Cependant, elles dépendront des plages horaires disponibles, la logistique, et des autres propositions reçues.

Soumettez vos propositions, par l’entremise de PheedLoop, (APLA Conference 2026) d’ici le 6 mars, 2026

Veuillez inclure les informations suivantes :

  • Titre
  • Type: Atelier pré-conférence ; Présentation de 45 minutes, présentation d’une demi-heure ; Table ronde ; Présentation éclair
  • Nom, titre, et institutions des personnes conférencières
  • Une biographie de deux phrases des personnes conférencières
  • Résumé (250 mots ou moins)
  • Langue de la présentation
  • Coordonnées, y compris : courriel et numéro de téléphone.

Les personnes conférencières seront avisé(e)s d’ici le 31 mars, 2026, par courriel, si leurs présentations ont été sélectionnées.

Les personnes conférencières sont responsable de leurs propre frais d’inscription et de déplacement.

Nous demandons aux personnes qui présentent de rendre disponibles leurs présentations sur le site web de la conférence.

Questions? Contactez conference@apla.ca pour de plus amples renseignements.

Breaking the Chain: Unlocking Library Programming Ideas in Support of Freedom to Read

A Freedom to Read Week virtual panel

Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm ET

Location: Online via Zoom

How do you encourage readers to seek out banned books? There’s more than one way, that’s for sure! Freedom to Read Week encourages Canadians to think about and reaffirm their commitment to intellectual freedom. While there is an increasingly coordinated effort to remove books tackling a wide range of topics from shelves, libraries can put just as much effort into coordinating their own engaging programs in response. This panel includes FTR advocates from across Canada who have seized the opportunity to bring community attention to banned books in creative ways. Tune into this discussion and Q&A period to inspire your own library programming and join the effort to broaden minds and encourage important dialogues!

Hosted by The Education Institute / OLA

Moderator: Emily Burns, Director of Education, OLA

Panelists:

  • Kelly McCray, Ontario-based artist and creator of Tower of Banned Books
  • Cora-Lee Eisses, Library Assistant, Cape Breton Public Library (Baddeck Branch)
  • Wendy Wright, Library Director, Smithers Public Library

Registration: click here

This event uses a pay-what-you-can (PWYC) model and operates on a per-person basis.

 

The Canadian Journal of Academic Librarianship is delighted to release the latest special issue, Reflections and Speculations on Critical Librarianship, co-edited by Sam Popowich, Lydia Zvyagintseva, and Maura Seale.

Read the full volume

_________

La Revue canadienne de bibliothéconomie universitaire est ravie de publier notre dernier numéro special: Réflections et spéculations sur la bibliothéconomie critique, coédité par Sam Popowich, Lydia Zvyagintseva, et Maura Seale.

Lire le volume complet

Applications for the 2026 awards and funding opportunities are now open.

These opportunities are put in place to support education, research, and projects that contribute to the library and information profession in Atlantic Canada.

Awards and funding include:

  • APLA Merit Award – deadline March 31
  • First Timer’s Conference Grant – deadline March 31
  • Memorial Award – deadline March 31
  • Somers Scholarship – deadline March 31
  • Advocacy Award – deadline March 31
  • General Activities Fund Grant – deadline September 15

The full list and further information can be found at – www.apla.ca/funding-awards/

We highly encourage you to take advantage of these opportunities. Please make sure to review all information and submission processes carefully as they differ from award to award.

We look forward to receiving your submissions – best of luck!

 

CFLA-FCAB members are invited to attend the virtual Annual General Meeting (AGM) on February 25, 2026, at 12:00 p.m. ET.

Attendees must pre-register by February 11, 2026.

2026 AGM Matters
Appointment of a public accountant to conduct a review engagement of the corporation’s 2025-2026 fiscal year finances.

Election to fill the vacancies on the Board of Directors.

Board Member Vacancies

  • Alberta representative
  • Atlantic Canada representative
  • CARL representative (CARL board member or executive director)
  • CULC representative (CULC executive committee member or executive director)
  • Francophone library association (FLA) representative (FLA board member, senior staff member or executive director of a CFLA-FCAB member FLA)
  • Northern Territories representative
  • Ontario representative
  • Quebec representative

Proposals
Any member wishing to put forward a proposal to be considered at the AGM must adhere to the stipulations outlined in Sections 22 and 23 of the By-Laws. Proposals should be sent to executivedirector@cfla-fcab.ca by February 11, 2026.

CFLA-FCAB 2026 AGM Notice