Thank you for your interest in participating in the research project “
Valuing Ontario Libraries: Understanding Impact.” The purpose of this research is to create baseline information across the province of Ontario about the contributions of public libraries to help improve the “
Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit,” a tool offered by the Ontario Library Service with development led by NORDIK Institute to help public libraries across Ontario explain the value they create in their communities.
The project is led by Dr. Tamanna Rimi and Dr. Sean Meades of NORDIK Institute and the Department of Community Economic and Social Development at Algoma University.
If you agree to participate in the research, all you have to do is complete the survey on the next page. It contains seven questions. Some might apply to you, some might not. If you don’t want to answer a question or you’re not sure how to answer it, just leave it blank. Once you are done answering the questions that you want to answer, click the “Done” button at the bottom of the screen.
Completing the survey should take 3-5 minutes. Participants may enter a draw to win a $50 Indigo gift card and promotional items form the Ontario Library Service.All your answers are anonymous. Once you submit your answers, you can’t withdraw from the research anymore because we can’t distinguish any person’s answers from another’s. Participation is strictly voluntary and you can exit the survey or close the browser window at any time and your answers will not be saved.
The survey deadline is October 15th, 2026.Are there any risks to participating?There are only low risks to taking part in the survey (including physical, social, psychological, and emotional risks) since all your answers are anonymous.
The results of the survey will be stored for 2 years on the password-protected personal computers of the research leads. The results of the survey may also be used for other research articles or presentations.
How do I find out about the results of the survey?Because we are not collecting any personal information, we can’t share the results with you directly, but they will be integrated into the updates of the
Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit, which everyone can access on the Ontario Library Service website. The revised toolkit is expected to be launched in November, 2026.
Any other questions?If you have questions regarding your rights as a research participant, contact: Research Ethics Board of Algoma University, ethics@algomau.ca
If you have any questions or concerns about the research, please contact Dr. Tamanna Rimi at tamanna.rimi@algomau.ca
You can print or take a picture of this page for your personal records or information.