Accreditation & Awards
The Ontario Public Library Guidelines Program has been established by the public library community to recognize excellence in library service. A library is judged and rated on over 100 guidelines that evaluate library services, resources, planning and policy. Leeds and the Thousand Islands Public Library is proud of this achievement and strives to maintain these high provincial standards of service, administration and infrastructure.
Committed to Excellence: Our Journey in Library Accreditation
At the Township of Leeds and the Thousand Islands (TLTI) Public Library, we are dedicated to providing our community with high-quality services that meet the highest provincial standards. One of the ways we demonstrate this commitment is through the Ontario Public Library Guidelines Monitoring and Accreditation Council.
A Legacy of Quality
We have a long history of meeting and exceeding these rigorous benchmarks. Our accreditation journey began in 2004 with the Lansdowne Branch, and we have continued to expand this excellence across all our locations:
2004: The Lansdowne Branch becomes the first in our system to be accredited.
2009: Lansdowne is re-accredited; the Lyndhurst and Seeley’s Bay branches earn their initial accreditation.
2015: Our entire library system achieves system-wide re-accreditation.
2025: In our most recent evaluation, all branches were successfully re-accredited, ensuring our services remain top-tier through 2030.
What Does Accreditation Mean for You?
The Ontario Public Library Guidelines are a set of "best practices" developed by library experts to ensure consistency and quality across the province. For our patrons, this means:
Better Service: We use these guidelines to constantly evaluate and improve our collections, programs, and facilities.
Accountability: It ensures we are managing public resources responsibly and transparently.
Community Growth: Accreditation strengthens our position when seeking funding, allowing us to bring more resources to the Township.
Strategic Planning: The process gives our Board and staff a clear roadmap for future development.
"The Guidelines are important not only for libraries pursuing accreditation but as a process for boards, CEOs, and library staff to assess their governance, management, and services against best practices." — Ontario Public Library Guidelines Monitoring and Accreditation Council
We are proud to serve you as an accredited library system, and we look forward to continuing to grow with our community!
The full guidelines can be found at Ontario Public Library Guidelines - Monitoring & Accreditation Council
The Leeds and the Thousand Islands Public Library received the Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant in the amount of $34,300 for the 2022-2023 year.
The Resilient Communities Fund grant has been used to purchase new furnishings including seating, workstations, and displays. These purchases have been chosen to meet the communities growing needs for accessibility to library resources at each branch and provide.