One Page: Canada's Virtual Literary Series
Toronto Public Library
Innovation Synopsis
One Page is a project that brought together the artistic directors, curators and content managers from more than 15 of Canada’s largest literary festivals and 50 library systems (a total of more than 65 organizations), offering virtual events for libraries customers across Canada with some of the world's biggest writers.
Challenge/Opportunity
One Page was created in response to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on many organizations in the publishing and literary sectors. In this context, One Page hoped to strengthen and support the literary and arts scenes across the country by sharing resources and working together to ensure as many organizations as possible survive these difficult times, while at the same time, offering Canadians access to some of the best local, national and international literary content available.
Key Elements of Innovation
The project brought together technology and a varied network of curators, artistic directors and programme managers across the country with viewers in 10 provinces across six time zones. One Page was the first opportunity to create a truly national coordinated and collaborative virtual literary series at a time when virtual content was new. Social media kits and shared local programming were additional innovations. All events were broadcast on the One Page Crowdcast channel available to watch live or in replay.
Achieved Outcomes
- Establish One Page as the national organization that offers free high quality and engaging virtual literary events to Canadian book lovers from coast to coast;
- Develop and maintain a network of literary curators, artistic directors and programming managers at both literary/writers’ festivals and within libraries to shine a light on national book cultures and communities;
- Promote book culture by increasing book engagement (borrowing or sharing of books) and book sales.
