OTTAWA – At a special meeting of the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) Board held this evening, October 4, 2022, the OPL Board appointed Sonia Bebbington (BA, MA, MLIS) as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective October 31, 2022.
“This is great news for Ottawa Public Library”, said Vice-Chair Kathy Fisher. “Sonia Bebbington has a record of proven leadership in her past roles, and we are excited by what she will bring to the organization. The future of OPL is in steady hands and we can expect the Library’s mission – to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people – to flourish in the years ahead for the benefit of the people of Ottawa.”
“This was a decision made with the utmost care and respect for the valued organization which is Ottawa Public Library,” said Trustee Steven Begg. “The search was thorough and international in scope. We had many excellent candidates; a number of them from outside of Canada. Our new CEO will inherit a well-run and trusted organization that is part of the daily lives of thousands of Ottawans and that enhances our community in countless ways. We believe Sonia Bebbington is the right person for the job and look forward to a smooth transition at the head of OPL.”
Sonia Bebbington is a librarian who has worked in all areas of the profession throughout the more than 22 years of her career. She has worked for the last 12 years at the Library of Parliament, where, as the Director General, Information and Document Resources Services (IDRS), she led the development, management, preservation, and access to Library of Parliament collections. She was named executive lead of the Library of Parliament’s involvement in the ongoing work related to the Long-Term Vision and Plan for the Parliamentary Precinct in 2019.
Sonia is a deeply engaged leader and collaborator, who has been an active member of national and international library associations. Sonia’s core values include a commitment to public service and to strong collaborative relationships. Sonia is fluently bilingual (French/English). She lives with her family in Ottawa, the city she has called home for 25 years.
Ottawa Public Library (OPL) is the largest bilingual (English/French) public library system in North America, with 34 branches, physical and virtual at BiblioOttawaLibrary.ca, mobile libraries, and a vending machine library service. OPL’s mission is to inspire learning, spark curiosity, and connect people. If it’s out there, it’s in here!