Be part of the conversation: Tell us what Oakville Public Library means to you

Make your voice count. Take the short survey here. The survey closes July 20, 2025.

This study is the first of its kind being conducted at a national scale. The social impact study moves beyond traditional economic reporting metrics such as the number of visits or books borrowed, focusing instead on capturing how public libraries provide emotional, intellectual, creative, and social value.   

Inspired by pioneering work at Toronto Public Library, more than 20 urban Canadian libraries are part of the new study. By combining a nationally representative survey with data collected from patrons at each individual library, the study will uncover perspectives from both current library users and potential future users.  

The national initiative is led by the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC), and the study is carried out by the research consortium IS IT A BIRD / It depends. The libraries participating are:  

• Bibliothèques Montréal  

• Burlington Public Library  

• Calgary Public Library  

• Edmonton Public Library  

• Halifax Public Libraries  

• Hamilton Public Library  

• Kingston Frontenac Public Library  

• Kitchener Public Library  

• Lethbridge Public Library  

• London Public Library  

• Mississauga Library System  

• Oakville Public Library 

• Oshawa Public Libraries  

• Ottawa Public Library  

• Red Deer Public Library  

• Regina Public Library  

• Saskatoon Public Library  

• Surrey Libraries  

• Vancouver Island Regional Library  

• Vancouver Public Library  

• Vaughan Public Libraries  

• Waterloo Public Library  

• Whitby Public Library  

• Winnipeg Public Library