WHY BRIDGE

Your library makes an impact We help you demonstrate it

Our Vision

Empowering every Ontarian with local access to the technology they need and the confidence to use it, enabling opportunities for economic, educational, social, health, and civic advancement to achieve overall well-being.

Our Mission

Bridge partners with Ontario public libraries to:

  • Advance digital inclusion by measuring equity and community impact.
  • Enhance technology management through actionable data and insights.
  • Strengthen advocacy and accountability to secure funding and achieve strategic goals.
WHAT YOU GET

Choose the Bridge version that fits your library

With enhanced customization options, members can now tailor Bridge to meet their library's unique needs. Once your account is created, simply activate the version of Bridge that best supports your community’s goals.

Bridge Standard

Recommended for : Small - Medium Libraries

Patron Survey

  • 1-2 times a year frequency
    • (choose between Feb, May, Aug and/or Nov)
  • Shorter version, 19 mandatory survey questions
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
  • Simplified and automated reports
  • Qualitative Feedback Report

Staff Survey

  • Min once a year frequency
    • (choose between Apr and/or Oct)
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
  • Simplified and automated reports
  • Qualitative Feedback Report

Bridge Pro- Optional

Recommended for : Medium - Large Libraries
Everything in Bridge Standard, plus a menu of additional options:

Patron Survey

  • Up to quarterly frequency
    • (Feb, May, Aug and/or Nov)
  • Up to 26 mandatory standard survey questions
  • Survey question customization
  • Optional demographic questions (9 Questions)
  • Equity Snapshot Report
  • Flat file download

Staff Survey

  • Up to twice a year frequency
    • (Apr and/or Oct)
  • Flat file download

Availability & Usage Data Input

  • Monthly and Yearly Data Input interface
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
  • Flat file download
OUR DATA SERVICES

Perfect solution for your library technology services

Bridge consists of three essential components that collect, measure and evaluate the impact of technology services on digital inclusion in public libraries:

patron-survey patron-survey

Patron Survey

  • Standard & Customizable Survey (Bridge Pro) in multiple languages
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
    • Only Me
    • Historical
    • All Ontario
    • Peer Group
  • Simplified and automated reports
    • Ontario Benchmark Snapshot Report
    • Historical Snapshot Report
    • Key Highlight Report
    • Equity Snapshot Report (Bridge Pro)
  • Qualitative data
  • Flat file download (Bridge Pro)
  • Resources
Read More
staff-survey staff-survey

Staff Survey

  • Standard Survey
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
    • Only Me
    • Historical
    • All Ontario
    • Peer Group
  • Simplified and automated reports
    • Ontario Benchmark Snapshot Report
    • Historical Snapshot Report
    • Key Highlight Report
  • Qualitative data
  • Flat file download (Bridge Pro)
  • Resources
Read More
Availability & Usage Availability & Usage

Availability & Usage

- Bridge Pro (optional)
  • Data Input Dashboard (Monthly or Yearly)
  • Custom data dashboard, benchmarking and reports
    • Only Me
    • Historical
    • All Ontario
    • Peer Group
  • Flat file download
  • Resources
Read More
HOW IT WORKS

Getting started is easy

Getting started with Bridge is simple and practical. Whether you’re a small library system or a large one, a data novice or an analytics expert, Bridge adapts to your needs. Customize our tools to focus on what matters most to your library and empower your team to better serve your community.

Activate your account

Update your profile

Administer your surveys

View and leverage your data

OUR DATA BENCHMARKING

You’re in good company!

With Bridge, your library gains full control over its data while unlocking the power of standardized, comparable metrics. Benchmark your performance against other Ontario libraries to highlight your strengths, identify opportunities, and stay ahead in delivering impactful technology services.

Read More
56+

Ontario libraries

Libraries By Region

  • 12 Northern Ontario
  • 15 Southwestern Ontario
  • 08 Eastern Ontario
  • 17 Central Ontario
  • 04 GTA

Libraries By Size

  • 17 Small
  • 29 Medium
  • 10 Large
58101+
Patron Survey Responses Collected to Date
WHY CHOOSE BRIDGE

It’s free, easy to use, and designed by libraries, for libraries.

Choosing Bridge means unlocking advanced, library-focused data tools designed to:

  • Demonstrate the impact of your technology services.
  • Drive data-informed decisions for continuous improvement.
  • Strengthen advocacy efforts with powerful evidence.

Discover how Bridge can help your library thrive in an increasingly digital world.

DATA STORYTELLING

Telling a meaningful story about library impact

Explore detailed reports showcasing how Ontario libraries are bridging technology access gaps and driving digital inclusion. Leverage these powerful findings to advocate for your library’s vital role in creating equitable opportunities for all.

Bridge 2021/2022 Report
Bridge Beta 2019/2020 Report
Bridge Pilot 2017/2018 Report
Bridge Discussion Paper 2016
TESTIMONIALS

Libraries leading the way with data-driven impact

Ontario libraries are successfully harnessing the power of Bridge to shape their technology services and drive data-informed strategies. By using Bridge, they are crafting action plans, conducting needs assessments, and refining digital approaches to better serve their communities.

Discover how these forward-thinking libraries are using Bridge to make impactful decisions and enhance technology services for their patrons.

Markham Public Library

Markham Public Library has been a proud contributor to the Bridge Project since 2019. Bridge directly speaks to Markham Public Library’s outcomes with our Digital Literacy Strategy and allows us to support those important goals in our reporting and communication with stakeholders...

Milton Public Library

The Bridge Toolkit provided us access to Patrons' and staff Surveys that guided our future technological needs and helped us understand where we stand compared to other library systems. I am particularly impressed by how various meetings and workshops were organized to educate library...

Oshawa Public Library

Participating in the Bridge Project has given Oshawa Public Libraries valuable insights and important data in order to help us make better decisions. We appreciate the user-friendly design of the Dashboard and the ease with which we can quickly toggle between looking at our own data and our data...

Marathon Public Library

As a rural library, the Bridge program has helped us better understand patron experiences with our technology services. Bridge is an invaluable resource for small and rural libraries, which are often limited in what services they can offer; providing clear insight into what is working and what needs improvement.

Guelph Public Library

We are grateful to be a participating library in the Bridge Project. The Bridge Toolkit has done the majority of the planning, research and implementation of the project which makes utilizing it for our community very simple and worthwhile.If libraries and the communities they serve are to make a meaningful...

Wikwemikong First Nations Public Library

We can already see the benefit of this data-collecting program. We can see the technology services that our Patrons seem to gravitate around the most.

Perth & District Union Public Library

We will be looking to continue to evaluate this in the future, and guide our future training, equipment and program offerings based on community needs and the outcomes we are trying to achieve.

Mattawa Public Library

[The] pilot had a great impact on our library and our staff. It really showed us how so many people, in and around the community, depend on us for their everyday needs.

Innisfil Public Library

Staff are now better aware of technology and services offered to the public and feel more comfortable speaking about them and working with the public.

Kitchener Public Library

Previously, the importance of access to e-government in the library was only available in anecdotal form, and we now have numbers and percentages that support the need for that critical access...we can use this information to advocate to maintain or even increase the library's budgetary funding.

Windsor Public Library

This toolkit will be invaluable in reassuring staff, administration, board members and city administration that the access to technology - in its many forms - we offer to citizens is money and staff resources well spent.

HAVE QUESTIONS? WE HAVE ANSWERS

Frequently asked questions

01Why should I register?
  • Prove Your Library’s Value: Demonstrate how your technology services improve well-being, digital equity, and community impact.
  • Gain Actionable Insights: Make confident, data-informed decisions to shape your services.
  • Maximize Advocacy Efforts: Leverage automated reports and comparative benchmarks for stronger stakeholder engagement.
  • Expand Your Reach: Collaborate with libraries across Ontario and uncover opportunities using collective data.
  • Flexibility That Works for You: Whether you need a simple solution or advanced analytics, Bridge adapts to fit your library’s goals.
  • It's free! It's flexible & supportive. It's authoritative and accessible.
02I'm not that knowledgeable about data. Is this complicated?
03I registered for the Bridge Project. Is this different?
04Is this a short-term, phased, or temporary commitment. Who owns my data and is it safe?
05This seems like a lot of work, is there a light version of your services?

Ready to sign up today

Fill out our registration form to join Bridge today. Activate your FREE subscription and gain access to data that will maximize your library benefits, while minimizing your time collecting and measuring data to advocate for library sustainability and growth

Sign Up Here!
SIGN UP

Send an inquiry

Have questions or want to get more information on how Bridge can benefit your library?

Special thanks to the Ontario Government for their funding and ongoing support.

Visit our project website:

www.tpl.ca/impact

Have a question or need support?

bridge@tpl.ca

Platform Features

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