On Friday November 8 2019, members of the ARLIS/NA Ontario Chapter held the Fall Business Meeting at Centre of Social Innovation (CSI) at Daniels Spectrum in Regent Park.
In addition, the group learned about the Canada Comics Open Library from its founder Rotem Diamant and toured the space in CSI Regent Park.
Canada Comics Open Library (CCOL) is a non-profit and volunteer-run comics library located in Regent Park, Toronto, Ontario. CCOL was founded in the springtime of 2018. 
The CCOL’s mission is to help make comics more accessible while increasing representation of marginalized communities in comics, with a focus on BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Colour), LGBTQ+, disabled, and women creators.
The CCOL has a rich library collection and space, online resources (incl. Canadian Cartoonists Database), and community events.
CCOL is a very new organization dependent by passionate volunteers and donations. It is currently holding a fundraising campaign to keep their doors open and pay rent for a year, cover administrative costs for the year, and make CCOL collection circulating!
The last stop on the Daniel’s Spectrum tour was ArtHeart, an art program for all ages that really brings the community together.
The Art Heart Community Centre provides free visual arts education, programs, materials and a healthy snack to the children and youth, as well as a hot nutritious meal to adults and seniors living in Regent Park and the surrounding neighbourhoods.
We were so lucky to meet with Timothy Svirklys, ArtHeart’s Studio Manager. Tim has been a community arts practitioner with ArtHeart for over twenty years in a variety of roles.
There are various opportunities to volunteer and donate to ArtHeart’s initiatives. Learn more about their partnerships here: https://artheart.ca/about-us/our-partnerships
If you are an art or museum librarian, be sure to check out these welcoming and creative spaces and consider joining the ARLIS/NA Ontario Chapter.