Funding Opportunities

OLA offers a number of funding opportunities to help reduce financial barriers to attending Super Conference. Depending on the opportunity, funding may support registration, travel, accommodation, or other professional development expenses.

The information below reflects opportunities that were available for Super Conference 2027 and is provided for reference.

Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Super Conference Bursary

Each year, the OLA Cultural Diversity and Inclusion Committee offers a Super Conference bursary. The bursaries are available to support recipients in their career in information/librarianship and are intended to provide access to the OLA Super Conference to applicants identifying as Indigenous, Black, or a Person of Colour, who may otherwise not have the opportunity to participate.

This year, there are two (2) bursaries available that will be awarded. The recipients will each receive one (1) Full Super Conference registration, and one (1) recipient will receive up to $1,000 for travel expenses. This bursary does not cover accommodation or meals at the conference. Ontario-based applicants will be prioritized.

Deadline November 27 at 11:59pm ET

Spirit of Reconciliation Award

The Spirit of Reconciliation Award sponsors up to four (4) First Nations public librarians to attend Super Conference, covering travel and accommodations. Sponsored by the OLA Indigenous Advisory Council, the Spirit of Reconciliation Award is about forming reciprocal relationships between First Nation public librarians and librarians from across the broader library sector. The goal of this initiative is to dissolve barriers, further the network and connections of librarians, dismantle silos, and close gaps that time has established.

At the OLA Super Conference, the four award recipients are partnered with seasoned OLA Super Conference attendees (Spirit of Reconciliation Partners), who will ensure you get the most out of Super Conference by introducing you to a network of people. In return, the First Nation public librarian will help the Spirit of Reconciliation Partner develop a deeper understanding of Indigenous matters as they relate their Nation and professional experience.

It is our hope that these relationships will continue beyond the conference. This could include quarterly Zoom calls, mutual library visits or tours, or even joint book clubs.

Thank you to the Administrators of Medium-sized Public Libraries of Ontario (AMPLO) for helping us expand the award and support more FNPL staff members to attend Super Conference.

Deadline November 12, at 11:59pm ET

International Indigenous Librarian Forum (IILF) Fund

The purpose of the International Indigenous Library Forum Fund (IILFF) is for Indigenous library professionals to support other Indigenous library professionals in attending premier library events and training opportunities. The fund is a declining-balance fund and will sunset when the funds have been fully utilized.

Recipients may receive a cash bursary of up to $5,000 CAD. Read more about eligibility.

Coming soon

OHLIA Super Conference Bursary

For health library and information workers, professional development funds are often limited or nonexistent. The OHLIA Super Conference Bursary supports OHLIA members by covering the cost of registration for OLA Super Conference, which may otherwise not be accessible to them.

Ontario-based applicants will be prioritized. Members of the OHLIA Council review applications.

Deadline December 11, 2026

OLA/OSLA Ken Haycock Super Conference Grant

Dr. Ken Haycock established the Chancellor Group Conference Grant to honour the founders of the Association for Teacher-Librarianship in Canada. It was subsequently transferred to the Canadian Library Association (CLA). A travel grant of $500 was provided to support newly qualified teacher-librarians attending the annual CLA conference. Following CLA’s dissolution, the funds were transferred to OLA in 2016.

OLA is proud to continue the grant in support of newly qualified teacher-librarians attending OLA Super Conference.

Deadline December 11, 2026

OLBA Super Conference Bursary

For library board members who live in Northern and small communities, attending Super Conference can be costly. The OLBA Bursary assists board members in distant and small communities with travel expenses and provides access to hundreds of professional development opportunities, including the OLBA Board Bootcamp.

Funding Available

- → 2 Northern Region bursaries (Northeast and Northwest): $1,250 each
- → 1 bursary for a library board serving a population under 15,000 (excluding Northern libraries): $500

In addition to the bursary, recipients receive full Super Conference registration and one ticket to the OLA Library Award Gala. The bursary is non-transferable and is for the exclusive use of the recipient.

Winners are selected by random draw and informed prior to the conference.

Bursary winners are responsible for booking their own travel accommodations. A cheque for the bursary amount will be provided within 30 days after Super Conference.

Eligibility Requirements

- → Your board must be a member of OLBA.
- → The applicant must never have attended Super Conference before.
- → The applicant must indicate which bursary they are applying for and ensure they have selected the correct geographic area.

Deadline December 11, 2026