From Isolation to Social Connection: Libraries & Well-being

About MetLib 2025

MetLib is an annual meeting and ideas festival for innovators, practitioners, and strategists shaping public library services in metropolitan and urban areas. It brings together professionals working in direct service, program development, space planning, and long-term strategy.

Join us this year in Toronto where the Toronto Public Library will host this year's conference from October 4th to 9th, 2025. In line with this year's theme, From Isolation to Social Connection:Libraries and Well-being, we will be joined by speakers to share their expertise on tackling isolation and enhancing social connection and civic engagement. Don't miss out on this opportunity to learn with peers from across the globe while taking in the site and experiences Toronto has to offer.

Call for Proposals

The Call for Proposals form is now open! The deadline to submit your proposal is May 16, 2025.

Proposal Guide

Please review the below guide to complete your Proposal form for this year's MetLib conference!

Click on the button below to access the Call for Proposals form.
Complete all the required fields in the form and click submit.
Make sure to include any attachments of your proposed presentation to help the selection committee in their review.

If you have any questions on this process or completing the form, please email metlib@tpl.ca.

Submit Your Proposal

Agenda

All Sessions

07:00 PM - 07:00 AM GMT-5:00

(Optional) Oct 4: Argo's game + Nuit Blanche

Join us to watch an American Football game between the Toron...

Join us to watch an American Football game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Hamilton Tiger Cats! More info to come to sign up for Argo's tickets.

Nuit Blanche is Toronto’s free all-night celebration of contemporary art transforms public spaces into extraordinary landscapes from 7 p.m. on October 4 to 7 a.m. on October 5. The 2025 theme, Translating the City, invites artists, curators and audiences to consider how cities can be reimagined, communicated and felt through art. The event will feature three unique exhibitions, projects presented by cultural institutions and a multitude of independent works by local artists.

04:00 PM - 08:00 PM GMT-5:00

(Optional) Oct 5: Early registration and Reading Party!

Explore Toronto: CN Tower tour. More details to come to sign...

Explore Toronto: CN Tower tour. More details to come to sign up for tickets.

Adapt, Connect and Thrive at MetLib 2025's opening Reading Party and Reception.

An optional dinner will be available, more details will be available later.

08:00 AM - 07:00 PM GMT-5:00

Oct 6: Day 1

Registration Welcome and Community Connections: Bentway and...

Registration

Welcome and Community Connections: Bentway and GEHL (Keynote speaker)

Break and Connect

Big Idea: How to adapt to Connect

Learning Together: How we Adapt and Connect with Edmonton Public Library

Lunch and Adapt

Big Idea: How to Measure Connection: NYPL and TPL (Keynote speakers)

Break and Connect

Adapt, Connect and Thriving at TPL and around the world

Optional activity: Connecting in Toronto

09:00 AM - 07:00 PM GMT-5:00

Oct 7: Day 2

Big Idea: How to Thrive and Connect: Genwell (Keynote speake...

Big Idea: How to Thrive and Connect: Genwell (Keynote speaker)

Break and Connect

Thriving with the Community: Democratic Engagement Exchange at Metropolitan University of Toronto (Keynote speaker)

I have an Idea!

Connection Tasting

A taste of Toronto

Connection Tasting - Take 2

Big Ideas: Spaces for Connection: Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing (Keynote speaker)
Connecting in Toronto

07:00 AM - 12:00 PM GMT-5:00

Oct 8: Day 3 (close-out)

Breakfast Adapt, Connect and Thrive - Social Connections @ ...

Breakfast

Adapt, Connect and Thrive - Social Connections @ the Library

Break and Connect

MetLib 2026 Introductions

Thanks for Connecting - What's next?

Stay and Explore

09:00 AM - 05:00 PM GMT-5:00

Oct 9: Optional attendance day

Optional Cultural Activity - more details coming soon!

Toronto Travel Tips

More details coming soon!

In the meantime, check the Government of Canada's website for detailed entry requirements by country: Entry requirements by country or territory - Canada.ca

FAQS

Yes, you’ll need to fill out our registration form to gain access to the event. Please fill in the registration form with some basic information to get started.

The information you provide upon registration will only be used to establish you as an attendee for the purpose of creating your badge. It will not be used for any other purposes.

The conference will be taking place at the Toronto Reference Library in downtown Toronto.

This conference is in-person only.

Registration is $500.00 CAD plus applicable taxes.

Please reach out to metlib@tpl.ca for support if the registration cost is a significant barrier for your participation.