Through learning, literacy, and innovation

RFID

As OPL continues to roll out Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to its branches, in 2014, a total of 11 branches out of 33 have been converted. RFID technology allows the Library to offer enhanced customer services, to reduce labour-intensive activities, and to find efficiencies to fund future growth requirements.

eBooks

OPL increased its French-language digital collection through an agreement with Groupe Archambault, providing customers with access to more than 500 e-content titles, including popular and current authors and titles.

OPL integrated the eBook collection from online vendor Overdrive into the Library’s catalogue, ensuring a one-stop shop for customer access to the complete collection, which means that the physical and digital collections are no longer separated.

Downloadable music

Thanks to the expansion of Freegal music, a music downloading service, customers can now download five songs per week from hundreds of thousands of Sony Music songs. Customers also have the option of streaming for up to three hours a week from the site.

2014 facts

• More than 1/3 of Ottawans own an active OPL card
• Items in the collection: 2,280,000
• Website visits: 12,986,987
• Holds placed: 299,581
• Twitter followers: 4,843
• Tweets: 22,700
• Wi-Fi logins: 434,322
• Facebook followers: 1,180
• Items borrowed: 10,990,234
• In-person visits: 4,806,932
• Public computer sessions: 777,741
• Program attendance: 232,048

Downloads

• eBooks: 635,449
• Magazines: 127,704
• Audiobooks: 105,667
• Music: 70,101