diff --git a/ostap/io/compress_shelve.py b/ostap/io/compress_shelve.py
index b6efc7a1..8415606c 100755
--- a/ostap/io/compress_shelve.py
+++ b/ostap/io/compress_shelve.py
@@ -54,10 +54,10 @@
     'ENCODING'       
     )
 # =============================================================================
-import os, abc, shelve, shutil, glob, datetime, collections  
+import os, abc, shelve, shutil, glob, datetime
 from   sys                  import version_info           as python_version
 from   ostap.io.dbase       import dbopen, whichdb, Item 
-from   ostap.core.meta_info import meta_info
+from   ostap.core.meta_info import meta_info, 
 from   ostap.io.pickling    import ( Pickler , Unpickler, BytesIO,
                                      PROTOCOL,
                                      HIGHEST_PROTOCOL, DEFAULT_PROTOCOL ) 
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@
 if '__main__' == __name__ : logger = getLogger ( 'ostap.io.compress_shelve' )
 else                      : logger = getLogger ( __name__                   )
 # =============================================================================
+##  ordered dict type to be used a
+ordered_dict = dict
+if python_version < (3.7) :
+    from collections import OrderedDict as ordered_dict 
+# =============================================================================
 ## encoding 
 ENCODING = 'utf-8'
 # =============================================================================
@@ -269,7 +274,7 @@ def __init__(
         elif  'sqlite3' != self.dbtype and self.mode in ( 'c' , 'n' ) : write = True
         else                                                          : write = False 
         if write :
-            dct  = collections.OrderedDict() 
+            dct  = ordered_dict()  
             dct  [ 'Created by'                  ] = meta_info.User
             dct  [ 'Created at'                  ] = datetime.datetime.now ().strftime( '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )  
             dct  [ 'Created with Ostap version'  ] = meta_info.Ostap
diff --git a/ostap/io/sqliteshelve.py b/ostap/io/sqliteshelve.py
index 8c225b39..4eb40933 100755
--- a/ostap/io/sqliteshelve.py
+++ b/ostap/io/sqliteshelve.py
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@
 import sqlite3
 from   ostap.io.sqlitedict  import SqliteDict
 from   ostap.io.dbase       import Item, TmpDB 
-from   ostap.core.meta_info import meta_info 
+from   ostap.core.meta_info import meta_info, python_info 
 from   ostap.io.pickling    import ( Pickler, Unpickler, BytesIO ,
                                      PROTOCOL,
                                      HIGHEST_PROTOCOL, DEFAULT_PROTOCOL ) 
@@ -143,6 +143,11 @@
 if '__main__' == __name__ : logger = getLogger ( 'ostap.io.sqliteshelve' )
 else                      : logger = getLogger ( __name__ )
 # =============================================================================
+##  ordered dict type to be used 
+ordered_dict = dict
+if python_info < (3.7) :
+    from collections import OrderedDict as ordered_dict 
+# =============================================================================
 _modes_ = {
     # =========================================================================
     # 'r'	Open existing database for reading only
@@ -291,7 +296,7 @@ def __init__ ( self                       ,
         self.__sizes         = {}
 
         if self.flag in (  'w' , 'n' ) :
-            dct  = collections.OrderedDict() 
+            dct  = ordered_dict() 
             dct  [ 'Created by'                  ] = meta_info.User
             dct  [ 'Created at'                  ] = datetime.datetime.now ().strftime( '%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S' )  
             dct  [ 'Created with Ostap version'  ] = meta_info.Ostap
diff --git a/ostap/plotting/canvas.py b/ostap/plotting/canvas.py
index d71a3019..5d310832 100755
--- a/ostap/plotting/canvas.py
+++ b/ostap/plotting/canvas.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
     )
 # =============================================================================
 from   sys                     import version_info as python_version
+from   ostap.core.ostap_types  import ordered_dict 
 from   ostap.utils.cidict      import cidict
 from   ostap.utils.utils       import KeepCanvas, keepCanvas 
 from   ostap.core.core         import cidict_fun
@@ -668,11 +669,7 @@ def _cnv_pads_ ( self ) :
     """`pads' : get (an ordered) dict of pads for the given canvas partition (if prepared)
     """
     if not hasattr ( self , '__pads' ) :
-        if (3,7) <= python_version :
-            self.__pads = {}
-        else  : 
-            from collections import OrderedDict 
-            self.__pads  = OrderedDict ()
+        self.__pads  = ordered_dict ()
     return self.__pads
 # =============================================================================
 def _cnv_del_pads_ ( self ) :