OTTAWA – The Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Board received OPL’s 2025 Annual Report at its meeting yesterday. The report highlights the impact of Library services on the daily lives of clients and how they rely on their local branches for literacy, creativity, and connection.

The report demonstrates how Ottawans clearly value their local library, with 24.4 per cent of Ottawa residents holding an active library card last year, the highest proportion in more than a decade. Website traffic increased by 19 per cent, reaching 13,801,583 visits, while 3,203,286 eBooks and eAudiobooks were borrowed, an increase of nine per cent.

Also highlighted in the Annual Report are results from an impact study conducted in partnership with the Canadian Urban Libraries Council, and with financial support from the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library Association (FOPLA). The findings show that 93 per cent of OPL clients and 72 per cent of non-clients agree that a public library is one of the most valuable resources a city can offer its community. In addition, 89 per cent of OPL clients and 70 per cent of non-clients agree that ensuring public access to libraries is more important now than ever.

Throughout the 2025 Annual Report, OPL’s mission and values are reflected in the work delivered across the Library system, from inspiring, learning, and sparking curiosity to connecting people.

"2025 was a defining year for our organization, from the approval of our new brand and our Facilities Master Plan, to the expansion of our rural branch hours along with the introduction of our Service Strategies that reaffirmed our commitments to the people we serve across all our offerings," said Sonia Bebbington, CEO and Chief Librarian of OPL. "All of these strengthen our services and reinforce the Library as a welcoming space of inspiration and discovery where all can think, learn, and dream freely."

For details on OPL’s 2025, we invite you to read the 2025 Annual Report. For current offerings and the latest information, please visit the OPL website.