Customer Feedback Standards & Practices

Toronto Public Library's mission is to provide free and equitable access to high quality customer driven services.

Whether you talk to our staff in person at one of our branches, or contact us through the telephone or email, our staff have been trained to provide service that is: courteous, competent, timely, and helps you resolve your issues and concerns.

We value your feedback and welcome any comments you may have to help improve our programs and services.

If you have a suggestion, compliment or complaint

Talk to our branch or Answerline staff

Please offer your feedback to our staff at your local branch or through our Answerline service. Branch or Answerline staff will try to meet your needs as quickly as possible.

Use our Customer Feedback Form

If our branch or Answerline staff is unable to resolve your issues, they can assist you with completing a customer feedback form.

Contact one of our managers or staff

Our managers are also available to help you if our branch or Answerline staff are unable to resolve your issue or question. If you need to contact one of our managers, our staff can refer you to a manager or you can use our directory of management staff phone numbers and email addresses.

Discuss the matter with Senior Management

In the event that a manager is unable to resolve the issue, you can ask the manager for the name and contact information of the Director responsible for the issue in question. The contact information for our Directors is also available online and from our Answerline service.

Title Suggestions

We welcome your suggestions for titles to add to our collection. Suggestions from customers are considered as part of our regular selection and ordering process. Please complete this online form to recommend a physical book, DVD, etc. for purchase. Our Answerline service is available to assist you if you require assistance.

Requests for Reconsideration of Library Materials

Should you have an issue with an item in our collection, we ask that you talk to our staff at your local branch. We value intellectual freedom and choose our materials carefully. Because of the importance we place on the materials in our collection, we have a separate procedure for the reconsideration of library materials. Branch staff can explain the procedure to you, along with our Materials Selection Policy, and assist you in filling out the applicable forms if necessary. Our Answerline service is available to assist you if you are unable to visit one of our branches.

Toronto Public Library: Customer Feedback Standard

All feedback will be acknowledged within two business days. Please note that when we acknowledge feedback by letter mail, letters will be sent out within two business days, but delivery time is dependent on the postal system.

Telephone and voice mail

• Telephone calls will be returned within one business day. Personal voice mail greetings will be courteous, give the caller as much information as possible and request callers to leave a detailed message.
• Voice mail boxes are cleared daily. Recorded vacation or absence messages will provide a co-worker's name and phone number as backup while out of the office.
• Callers will be assisted and if needed, will be directed to the correct area. Callers will not be transferred to another voice mail box without being made aware.
• Customers calling the correct area will have their issue resolved by involving as few Library staff as possible.

Emails

All emails will be acknowledged within two business days. Vacation or absence messages will be activated providing a co-worker's name and contact information as backup while out of the office.

Complaints

We place a high priority on your feedback and have an established Customer Service Feedback Procedure (PDF) which outlines how we handle formal comments received from members of the public.

Privacy

Feedback will be dealt with in a confidential manner according to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Information will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Act.

Scope

Our customer feedback standard applies to suggestions, compliments, comments, complaints and enquiries we receive through our feedback procedure from members of the public in relation to the library services they receive. This standard does not apply to anonymous feedback or feedback from staff members.