Latest news with #LondonPublicLibrary
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
City under pressure to retrofit four buildings losing connection to district steam heating
The City of London has less than a year and a half to replace that heating/cooling systems in four downtown buildings. According to a report to the Infrastructure and Corporate Services Committee (ICSC), Enwave Energy Corporation, previously London District Energy, has notified city hall of their intent to cease operating most of the medium-pressure steam line in the downtown core by October 31, 2026. In additional to privately owned buildings in the affected area, the steam line services City Hall, the Central Branch of the London Public Library, Centennial Hall, and Museum London. 'The City will need to transition the heating system from a centralized supply of steam to an in-building heating source for affected facilities,' reads the report. Currently, Enwave is investigating if installing temporary boilers would create redundancy and reliability during the notice period until October 2026. 052325_steam line enwave London city hall newcombe Boundaries of steam line to be decommissioned by Enwave (Source: City of London) There is interest from Enwave to install a temporary boiler system along Wellington Street adjacent to the City Hall property, but there are concerns about the noise impacts on the area. A second location near the western terminus of the steam line along Queens Avenue is also under consideration by Enwave. Meanwhile, city staff are considering the feasibility of options to provide heat and humidification to the four buildings. 'Based on our experience, it is likely the total cost to address this issue will exceed $5 million for all affected buildings,' the report warns. 052325_steam line enwave London city hall newcombe London city hall (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London) Council will have to determine a source of funding to cover the cost of retrofitting the buildings. 'Investigations into feasible options to provide heat and humidification will need to be completed and engineered designs completed before costs or potential impacts to affected facilities can be determined,' the report concludes. 052325_steam line enwave London city hall newcombe Centennial Hall (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)
CBC
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Local artist's estate gifts $500K to revitalize Sherwood public library
The London Public Library (LPL) has received a half-a-million dollar donation from the estate of renowned local artist Rudy Sparkuhl that will help refurbish its Sherwood branch in the city's northwest. The $500,000 contribution will also go toward the creation of a common gathering area for community members, library officials announced on Wednesday, calling it a "transformative gift". "I've never seen this level of generosity from one individual," said LPL CEO Michael Ciccone. "We're really proud to be able to put this large donation toward a branch that really needed support and is so important to this community." The branch, inside the Sherwood Forest Mall, serves more than 36,000 patrons each year but has been partially closed since last July after it was significantly flooded. Construction on a $1.5 million renovation project began in January and is expected to wrap up by the end of summer. Who was Rudy Sparkuhl Rudolph 'Rudy' Sparkuhl was a full-time artist known for his photorealistic paintings, inspired by photos he'd take of scenes like buildings, streetcars, stairwells and others. His work was featured in Ontario galleries including Wortley Village's Westland Gallery, Quebec, the U.S. and England. "Rudy was highly understated, humble, had a dry sense of humour, a twinkle in his eye and marched to the tune of his own drum," said Shelley Biernbaum, who had been Sparkuhl's close friend for 45 years and was his brother's life partner. "He was very dedicated to his art. He was one of the few people who decided they were going to be a full-time artist right away and that's all he ever did. He was a quiet man but very talented." Sparkuhl and his parents immigrated to Canada from Germany in 1957, when he was four-years-old and initially settled in Montreal, before making London their permanent home in 1989. He died in March, 2024 at age 71. Birenbaum said she believes Sparkuhl's appreciation for the knowledge and inspiration he found at libraries is the reason he donated such a large amount. "He frequented libraries a lot, he was a big fan of them and he loved education," said Birenbaum. "Libraries were a place where he felt really comfortable, plus as an immigrant coming here with no money, they knew that was a place you could take out books and it didn't cost you anything. So I think they really appreciated the resources [libraries] bring to people who don't have the money." To pay homage to Sparkuhl's legacy, the Sherwood library will display some of his paintings, including one of the former Hudson's Bay store in the Galleria, now known as CitiPlaza, and an image of the the mall's classic glass elevators. "It memorializes somebody whose art is fantastic and so intriguing but also what the library meant to Rudy to prompt him to donate this much money to it," said Ciccone. "I hope [Londoners] can look at those paintings and know how many individuals are out there like Rudy and how much the library touches them and improves their life." Mayor Josh Morgan, who recently re-joined the library's board, said the branch is a special one because it serves a wide and diverse community, and he hopes Sparkhul's paintings will inspire youth to showcase their creativity while enjoying the revamped library when it reopens. "This branch serves Limberlost [a public housing complex] where families are not that well off. The library is a place for youth to access wonderful services, but now we'll get to see a showcased local artist inspiring creative talents in this community as well," he said. The library didn't get all the money it wanted during the city's multi-year budget, and struggled at the time to maintain facilities and services. However, this donation makes up for the shortfalls in its budget, Ciccone said. A reopening date has not yet been announced.
CBC
28-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ontario librarians say 'they have to be ready' amid growing calls in U.S. to ban books
As libraries in the U.S. contend with growing book banning efforts largely targeting titles with 2SLGBTQ+ themes, London, Ont.-area librarians worry it could become a larger issue here. Librarians here are using Freedom to Read week, which wraps Saturday, to call attention to the issue, fearing it could worsen and deter future librarians from entering the profession. "Honestly, it's kind of scary," Kristen Caschera, supervisor of central information and fiction at the London Public Library's Central branch, said of news from the United States. In multiple states, laws have been tabled that threaten librarians with harsh punishments for distributing books deemed inappropriate. "It's wild to think … how this could possibly be happening. But more than ever, I think that reaffirms our commitment to making sure as much information is available as possible," Caschera said. Calls to remove books from library shelves in the U.S. have soared in recent years, attributed in part to organized campaigns, often from Conservative political groups. Such book banning campaigns haven't materialized to the same extent in Canada, but similar efforts have made their way north, a recent investigation by The Fifth Estate revealed. A 2024 study from the Canadian Federation of Library Associations has documented a growing number of book challenges in recent years, in particular since the COVID-19 pandemic. It found there were 197 complaints challenging books in Canadian libraries in 2023 and nearly half were about 2SLGBTQ content. That's compared to roughly 10 per cent in 2019, the study said. Asked what she's heard from librarians in training about the current atmosphere, Caschera said, for some, it's strengthened their feelings about intellectual freedom. In the U.S., book banning campaigns have seen the number of titles targeted surge over the last several years to more than 4,200 in 2023, compared to fewer than 200 a decade earlier, the American Library Association (ALA) says. Books about 2SLGBTQ+ issues and characters have also been the target of a growing number of challenges at school libraries in Ontario, influenced by U.S. campaigns, said Wendy Burch Jones, president of the Ontario School Library Association. "A lot of the times, the books that are getting challenged are coming off of lists that get published and get passed around. A lot of the time, the people asking for books to be banned haven't even read the books," she said. She added it was important school boards have rigorous book selection and deselection policies, and clear language around how to deal with challenges. South of London, St. Thomas Public Library is also taking the matter seriously, said its chief librarian. The library has designated 2025 as the year to ensure its stance on intellectual freedom is "really, really solid," and its intellectual freedom policy "ironclad," Heather Robinson said. "We're not resting on our laurels. Because this could happen, and it could happen anytime, is what I'm thinking anyway. We have to be ready," said Robinson, who has been with the library for 27 years and is its CEO. "There seems to be information out there" on how to get books removed, she said. "It's different methods than what has been. We're seeing the systematic removal of books a group deems should not be in the library." According to the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto's Metropolitan University, Ontario libraries received 39 complaints about books in 2024, with 28 calling for removal of the offending title. One challenge was reported at London's library. Caschera said it involved the coming-of-age book A Sister by Bastien Vivè — the complainant felt should be in the adult section. In a letter to the complainant, the library said the book would stay in its young adult graphic novel section. At the St. Thomas library, one challenge was filed for language in Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl. The complainant wanted the book removed, a request that was unsuccessful. Neither book deals with 2SLGBTQ+ themes, but a concern is that future challenges will be, driven by the kinds of pressure campaigns that have targeted drag queen story sessions at local libraries. Of the top 10 books challenged in the U.S. in 2023, most had "LGBTQIA+ content" cited as a reason, the ALA says. "It's scary, and you feel a sense that we now need to stop being, sort of, neutral and nice," Robinson said.
CBC
28-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Ontario librarians say 'they have to be ready' as calls to ban books increase across Canada
As libraries south of the border contend with growing book banning efforts largely targeting titles addressing themes of sexual identity, London-area librarians worry it could become a larger issue here. They're using Freedom to Read week, which wraps Saturday, to call attention to the issue amid concerns the problem could worsen and deter future librarians from entering the profession. "Honestly, it's kind of scary," Kristen Caschera, supervisor of central information and fiction at the London Public Library's Central branch, said of news from the United States. Laws have been tabled in multiple states threatening librarians with harsh punishments for distributing books deemed inappropriate. "It's wild to think … how this could possibly be happening. But more than ever, I think that reaffirms our commitment to making sure as much information is available as possible," Caschera said. Calls to remove books from library shelves in the United States has soared in recent years, an uptick attributed in part to organized campaigns, often from Conservative political groups. Such book banning campaigns haven't materialized to the same extent in Canada, but similar efforts have made their way north, a recent investigation by The Fifth Estate revealed. A 2024 study from the Canadian Federation of Library Associations has also documented a growing number of book challenges in recent years, with a surge coming since the COVID-19 pandemic. It found there were 197 complaints challenging books in Canadian libraries in 2023, and nearly half were about 2SLGBTQ content. That's compared to roughly 10 per cent in 2019, the study said. Asked what she's heard from librarians in training about the current atmosphere, Caschera said, for some, it's strengthened their feelings about intellectual freedom. In the U.S., book banning campaigns have seen the number of titles targeted explode over the last several years to more than 4,200 in 2023, compared to fewer than 200 a decade earlier, the American Library Association (ALA) says. Books about 2SLGBTQ+ issues and characters have also been the target of a growing number of challenges at school libraries in Ontario, influenced by U.S. campaigns, said Wendy Burch Jones, president of the Ontario School Library Association. "A lot of the times, the books that are getting challenged are coming off of lists that get published and get passed around. A lot of the time, the people asking for books to be banned haven't even read the books," she said. She added it was important school boards have rigorous book selection and deselection policies, and clear language around how to deal with challenges. South of London, St. Thomas Public Library is also taking the matter seriously, its chief librarian says. The library has designated 2025 as the year to ensure its stance on intellectual freedom is "really, really solid," and its intellectual freedom policy "ironclad," Heather Robinson said. "We're not resting on our laurels. Because this could happen, and it could happen anytime, is what I'm thinking anyway. We have to be ready," said Robinson, who has been with the library for 27 years, and is its CEO. "There seems to be information out there," on how to get books removed, she said. "It's different methods than what has been. We're seeing the systematic removal of books a group deems should not be in the library." According to the Centre for Free Expression at Toronto Metropolitan University, Ontario libraries received 39 complaints about books in 2024, with 28 calling for removal of the offending title. One challenge was reported at London's library. Caschera said it involved the coming of age book A Sister by Bastien Vivè, which the complainant felt should be in the adult section. In a letter to the complainant, the library said the book would stay in its young adult graphic novel section. At the St. Thomas library, one challenge was filed for language in Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl. The complainant wanted the book removed, a request that was unsuccessful. Neither book deals with 2SLGBTQ+ themes, but a concern is that future challenges will be, driven by the kinds of pressure campaigns that have targeted drag queen story times at local libraries. Of the top 10 books challenged in the U.S. in 2023, most had "LGBTQIA+ content" cited as a reason, the ALA says. "It's scary, and you feel a sense that we now need to stop being, sort of, neutral and nice," Robinson said. "We are all of that, but there has to be a little bit more of an edge to libraries, now. We're going to be asked to stand up for things like intellectual freedom."
