Helping Teachers Across
Ontario
The Ontario College of
Teachers is investing in the latest technology to
make its library a valuable resource for the
province’s teachers, easily accessible no matter
where they live.
A clean slate is a rare
opportunity. It’s very exciting and a little
daunting." This is how Chris Ball, manager of
Library and Archival Services, describes the
opportunity to build the College’s new research
facility from the ground up.
"You have
the chance to design the physical space, select the
technology and provide the services you know are
possible," says Ball. "Our role is to
create a central point of access to information that
relates to the professional development of our
members."
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Library
staff members Chris Ball, Lynda Nakamura and
Olivia Hamilton have been building up the
collection in the College’s new library.
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Many
teachers from the Toronto area have already visited
the library, which is located next to the main
reception area at the College. One of the attractions
is the growing collection of more than 200
periodicals and newspapers.
But Ball and
his staff are working hard to ensure that members all
over the province have easy access to the
College’s growing collection of the literature
on teaching and learning.
"We’ve
already received many very generous donations from
our members, other libraries and retired teachers, so
our magazine holdings are taking on a breadth you
wouldn’t expect from such a young library,"
says library technician Olivia Hamilton, who is now a
familiar voice to teachers looking for that perfect
article to complete their course work.
Many teachers
use the College library from a distance, via phone,
mail or Internet. "The virtual library we were
all talking about a few years ago is now a
reality," says Ball.
Accessible from
the main College web site, the library page offers an
overview of services, a listing of its journals, and
an outline of the CD-ROM services available through
the library. The College’s education legislation
quarterly updates are downloadable, along with a full
listing of conferences and events.
The library
staff plan to add the on-line catalogue to the web,
so members will soon be able to search the catalogue
over the Internet. The circulation system is already
linked to the College’s membership data base.
Materials are
available to members on two-week loan, renewable
once, and are sent by regular mail. Some information
– for example, the results of computer searches
library staff do for members – can be faxed or
e-mailed.
The library
also preserves the College’s history. "As
young as we are as an institution, there’s a
surprising amount of material already," says
staff member Lynda Nakamura.
Visit the library in
person on the 6th floor at 121 Bloor Street East in
Toronto, on the College web site at http://www.oct.ca/english/library.htm , or contact the staff by
e-mail at library@oct.ca or by phoning (416) 961-8800 or
toll-free in Ontario 1-888-534-2222.
