New leader of library in Thunder Bay, Ont., considers plan for future

The incoming head of the Thunder Bay Public Library says he's going to look to the community to chart the institution's future.

After Richard Togman officially becomes the library's chief executive officer in September, he intends to lead fresh public consultations that could take the library in new directions.

"Not quite back to the drawing board," Togman said. "We have a lot of good foundations at the library but I think opening up the conceptual terrain so to speak and saying: 'We don't have to be limited by what is. We can imagine something different and then work towards creating that.' And I think that's including all stakeholders."

On July 19, the Thunder Bay Public Library Board announced that "an extensive national search," led to hiring Togman, who had served on that board for nearly five years. He will replace nine-year CEO John Pateman, after the board decided not to renew his contract in March. 

Togman holds a PhD in political science and is the founder of the lodging website Rent Panda, but has no formal library education or experience.

He says he's "heavily considering" creating a head librarian position for advice and managerial support to manage that blind spot and he intends to begin consultations by hearing the voices of staff first.

The Thunder Bay library has received national attention and awards for its efforts to hire Indigenous staff who developed authentic and prominent resources.

Togman says he hopes that work can continue but he wants to diversify targeted programming and resource efforts to nurture demographics that already use library services, along with those who could be welcomed to use them more often.

"It needs to reflect the makeup of the community," he explained. "So if we have a certain percentage of the population that isn't currently reflected — whatever their orientation, colour, creed, or background — I think it's part of the library's mission to make sure that its programming services and staffing reflect that. And that applies to the community as well as it applies to the LGBT community, to seniors, to youth, at all levels."

Some public feedback has already begun. Thirty-five BIPOC high school and college students enrolled in the Regional Multicultural Youth Centre's (RMYC) summer program visited the library's Brodie Street branch in July to exchange ideas about inclusion and better representing Thunder Bay's diversity.

RMYC co-president Alexa Sagutcheway from Eabametoong First Nation says she felt seen amid the circular arrangement of furniture and the range of cultural content at the library branch.

Others were touched to see posted portraits acknowledging residential school survivors. They all called for the library's legacy of genuinely including Indigenous learning to continue.

"I love that they have the paintings and items, the space for Indigenous peoples," Sagutcheway says. "But it's also about giving time to Indigenous peoples. We were given a tour. It was a great example of being given the time, having Indigenous speakers talking about their experience, having events at the library."

Togman's hiring did come with a bit of controversy, within an hour of the City of Thunder Bay announcing Togman's appointment, the union that represents library staff issued a statement condemning the hire.