The Future of OLA - A Look at Our Next Three Years

Joining Your First Board

Are you looking to step up as a champion for the library sector, or grow your own leadership capacity? Well, this episode is for you. Serving on a board—whether at a school, library, or community organization—offers a front-row seat to decision-making that shapes policies, funding, and values in your community.    Let’s explore what it means to be a strong board member, how to navigate the responsibilities that come with governance, and why your voice matters at the table. If you’ve ever wondered how to turn your passion for libraries into impact, joining a board might just be your next big move.  ******* 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://accessola.com/membership-information/]. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ontariolibraryassociation/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-library-association/mycompany/]. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [education@accessola.com].   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠ [communications@accessola.com]

Libraries on the Path to Reconciliation

This week’s episode is coming to your ears during First Nations Public Library Week. A time to recognize and honour the vital role that First Nations libraries play in their communities—spaces that preserve culture, language, and knowledge, while also providing access to the resources and connections that strengthen community life.  For those of us working in public libraries outside of reserve communities—or for settlers who are simply curious about how reconciliation connects to our work—this is also an invitation. David Robertson, in his book 52 Ways to Reconcile, reminds us that reconciliation isn’t a single act but an ongoing practice, something we choose to show up for again and again. Libraries, as places of learning and connection, have a responsibility to be part of that practice.  In today’s conversation, I’ll be speaking with three librarians who are leading projects that build bridges—between public libraries and First Nations libraries, between settler communities and Indigenous knowledge, and between the idea of reconciliation and the everyday work we do in our institutions. Their stories highlight what true partnership looks like, and how each of us can contribute to stronger, more respectful relationships.  Chapters 00:00 - 2:11 Intro 2:11 - 9:49 Reconciliation Reading List Book Club for Library Staff 9:49 - 22:46 Learning from Place & The Importance of Fostering Relationships 22:57 - 39:03 How Trust & Collaboration with Neighbouring Indigenous Organizations Can Grow Into Lasting Partnerships 39:10 - 42:11 Outro ******* 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://accessola.com/membership-information/]. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ontariolibraryassociation/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-library-association/mycompany/]. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [education@accessola.com].   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠ [communications@accessola.com]

Never Not Working

Find yourself struggling to maintain a work-life balance? Wondering about the fine line between being a hard worker and an over-worker? What are the consequences of overwork and burnout - for each of us as workers, but also for our organizations? Join Michelle and Malissa Clark, author of Never Not Working⁠ [https://www.malissaclark.com/never-not-working] to discuss all of these questions and more , her essential guide to navigating workaholism and burnout. Chapters 00:00 - 02:15  Intro 3:20 - 9:18 Malissa’s background and journey 11:09 - 16:36 Workaholic or Hard Worker? 17:09 - 20:40 Protecting Ourselves from Burnout 20:42 - 25:06 The Lack of Research on Overwork and IBPOC women 25:18 - 33:46 How Organizations can Embrace More Balanced Workplaces 34:25 - 38:20 How to Rewire Our Workaholic Brains 38:20 - 41:02 Closing Thoughts 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://accessola.com/membership-information/]. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ontariolibraryassociation/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-library-association/mycompany/]. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [education@accessola.com].   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠ [communications@accessola.com]

We Persist - OLA Super Conference 2026

Welcome back to a brand new season of Library Land Loves! We're starting season 7 off strong with a deep dive into the OLA's 2026 Super Conference theme 'We Persist'. Host Michelle Arbuckle (Executive Director of the OLA) welcomes back guests Emily Burns (Director, Education & Impact at OLA) and Matthew Rohweder (2025 President of the OLA’s Board of Directors) to get into the nitty-gritty of this year's choice of theme, how sessions are selected, and what we're most looking forward to for 2026. Chapters 00:00 - 2:34 Opening & Welcome 2:34 - 9:34 Conference Theme Discussion 9:51 -15:08  Session Proposals- Tips & Tricks  15:08 -  18:58 Proposal Submission and Review Process Updates 18:58 - 22:40 Super Conference Highlights (What We’re Most Looking Forward to for 2026) 22:42 - 27:21 Final Thoughts & Closing 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://accessola.com/membership-information/]. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ontariolibraryassociation/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-library-association/mycompany/]. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [education@accessola.com].   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠ [communications@accessola.com]

The Future of OLA - A Look at Our Next Three Years

We've made it to the end of our season, but before we all take a much needed summer reset, we've gathered some of OLA's most super stars for a sneak peak into The Association's new Strategic Plan that will be guiding us through the next three years. Host and Executive Director of the OLA, Michelle Arbuckle is joined by Emily Burns (Director, Education & Impact), Dr. Sabrina Saunders (Director, Operations), and Melissa Macks (Director, Member Engagement) as they discuss the plan's objectives, how our team will implement them, and why everyone should have a strat plan of their very own. We hope you enjoy this week's episode, and we'll see you back here in September. Chapters 00:00 - 01:43 Introductions 01:43 - 05:20 What is a Strat Plan and why do we need them? 05:21 - 09:46 How we're supporting members' education needs using our Strat Plan 09:07 - 13:05 How we're prioritizing our members' experiences at OLA 13:06 - 17:53 How OLA will support libraries through advocacy work 17:54 - 20:32 How we're approaching the work & evaluating success 20:39 - 22:28 Final thoughts 📚 You’re not an OLA member yet? Don’t worry about it, it’s fine, you can become one ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://accessola.com/membership-information/]. ⭐️ Keep up to date with what your OLA besties are doing via ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/ontariolibraryassociation/] and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.linkedin.com/company/ontario-library-association/mycompany/]. ******* This podcast is hosted by Michelle Arbuckle and produced by Gina Freitag.   Editing and additional production support is completed by Helen Chevreau.  Promotions and communications for this podcast are executed by Laurel McLeod. For programming inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠education@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [education@accessola.com].   For promotional and sponsorship inquiries, please email: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠communications@accessola.com⁠⁠⁠ [communications@accessola.com]