Board Meeting December 2015

CHAIR TO CALL MEETING TO ORDER

A) ADMINISTRATION

a) Minutes – Receive/approve draft minutes of Board meeting held November 25/15: Download

B) ADDITIONS/ALTERATIONS TO THE AGENDA

C) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM:

• CUPE Local 391
• Friends (Cheque presentation)
• VPL Foundation
• BCLTA
• InterLINK
• VPL Trustees

D) ITEMS FOR DECISION

a) Governance Committee Draft Terms of Reference: Download

b) Donor Recognition Policy: Download

c) Summer of Learning: Download

E) ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

a) InterLINK: Governance Policies and 2016 Provisional Budget: Download

F) ITEMS FOR CONSENT

Information Items for Consent

DIRECT TO BOARD

a) Activity Reports: Central and Branches – November

b) November 2015 Operating Results: Download

G) DISCUSSION OF ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT

H) NEW BUSINESS

Present: Mary Lynn Baum, Chair; Carellin Brooks; Amanda Card; Jennifer Chan, Vice Chair; George Chow; Kyla Epstein; Catherine Evans, Vancouver Park Board Representative; Gordon Ross; John Schaub, Vice Chair; John Swift

Absent: Allan Wong, Vancouver School Board Representative; Clr. Tim Stevenson, City Council Representative

Management Present: Sandra Singh, Chief Librarian; Kay Cahill, Acting Director, Digital Services; Shelagh Flaherty, Director, Library Experience; Diana Guinn, Director, Neighbourhood & Youth Services; Chris Middlemass, Acting Director, Collections & Technical Services; Eric Smith, Director, Corporate Services & Facilities; Ingrid VanKemenade, Director, Human Resources Development

Absent: Amanda Pitre-Hayes, Director, Planning & Projects

Staff: Stephen Barrington, Manager, Marketing & Communications; Dawn Ibey, Manager, Circulation Services; Wing Wong, Manager, Policy & Planning

Guests: Aliza Nevarie, Interim President, CUPE Local 391; Jane Curry, 1st Vice President, CUPE Local 391; Jenny Marsh, Director of Development, VPL Foundation; Judith Neamtan, President, Friends of VPL; Terry Salman, Chair Emeritus, VPL Foundation

Recording Secretary: Chrysalyn Tolentino, Executive Assistant

PRESENTATION

1. VPLF Board Retiree

Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum acknowledged Terry Salman, former chair of the VPL Foundation, for his leadership and noted that the Terry Salman Branch is an outstanding and enduring recognition of Terry’s generosity and commitment to the Library. Mary Lynn presented a book in appreciation of Terry’s work. Terry is currently the Chair Emeritus of the VPL Foundation and a member of the Capital Campaign Cabinet.

2. Recognition of Departing Trustees

Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum thanked departing Trustees George Chow and John Swift for their dedicated service to the Board and presented them with books as tokens of appreciation.

ADMINISTRATION

3. Minutes

The draft minutes of the Regular Meeting held November 25, 2015 were presented to the Chair for approval.

Moved by John Schaub and seconded by Catherine Evans

THAT the draft minutes of the Regular Meeting held November 25, 2015 be approved as amended.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

CUPE Local 391

Aliza Nevarie is the interim President of CUPE 391 until the Union’s By-Elections in February. Aliza reported that she, alongside with Judith Neamtan of the Friends of VPL and Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum, spoke on behalf of the Library during the December 9 Special Council meeting to hear speakers regarding the 2016 operating budget. Aliza is looking forward to working with all the members of the Board.

Friends

Judith Neamtan, President, Friends of VPL, spoke at the Special Council meeting and fielded questions regarding volunteers and working with the Library. The Friends also presented a cheque for the amount of $3,000, which supplements a prior donation made in 2014 for a total of $8,000 towards the public art for the new nə́c̓aʔmat ct Strathcona Branch. The addition of $3,000 to the earlier donation of $41,500 presented in May brings the total donation from Friends for 2015 to $44,500. Judith added that the revenue from the recently held Christmas book sale was 25% higher than last year and thanked VPL’s Marketing & Communications staff for helping promote the event. The Friends’ annual “Stay at Home and Read a Book Campaign” is underway.

VPL Foundation

Jenny Marsh, Director of Development for the VPL Foundation, reported that they have recently launched their annual winter appeal and initial feedback is positive. Jenny thanked the VPL Board Trustees for their contribution and gifts this year. Jenny added that the VPLF Campaign Cabinet is well underway and Jenny is gathering case materials to be used for the capital campaign. Jenny is working with colleagues from Greater Victoria Public Library, UBC, and Surrey Public Library on a presentation on fundraising which will be presented at the BCLA Conference in May.

British Columbia Library Trustees Association

Commissioner Catherine Evans reported that Barbara Kelly, a former VPL staff member, was recently hired as BCLTA’s new Executive Director. BCLTA is also working on a funding request to the Ministry of Education to provide additional funds to develop standards in library programs and support Trustee education.

InterLINK

No report.

VPL Trustees

Vice Chair Jennifer Chan attended the VPL Staff Recognition Award on November 26th and the VPL Foundation’s recognition event for Terry Salman on November 30th. She introduced the program “Monday Night Swing Session” presented by the Vancouver Community College Jazz Orchestra.

Trustee John Swift attended Dunbar Branch’s 65th anniversary on Saturday, November 28th. John noted that it was a highly successful event, attended by huge number of people.

Trustee Amanda Card attended the VPL Staff Recognition Award and thanked staff for sharing the digital scrapbook to Trustees. Amanda also attended the Special Council meeting on the 2016 operating budget and commended Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum and Friends of VPL President Judith Neamtan for advocating on behalf of the Library.

Commissioner Catherine Evans attended VPL Foundation’s recognition event for Terry Salman on November 30th.

Trustee George Chow attended Terry Salman’s recognition event.

Trustee Carellin Brooks was present at the Staff Recognition and the recognition event for Terry Salman. Carellin also welcomed attendees to the “Mother Tongue Book Launch” event on November 30th.

Trustee Gordon Ross hosted the Vancouver User Experience Awards on November 25th which recognized outstanding achievement in the field of user experience. Gordon also noted that his son attends Britannia Branch Storytime and enjoys it immensely.

Trustee Kyla Epstein attended the VPL Staff Recognition Award and volunteered to have trustees serve at the bar next year. Kyla spoke to her Council liaison Clr. Heather Deal advocating for the approval of the Library’s 2016 operating budget.

Vice Chair John Schaub toured Boston Public Library and attended the recognition event for Terry Salman.

Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum also attended the recognition event for Terry Salman and the VPL Staff recognition event. Mary Lynn congratulated Administrative Assistants Joan Brookes, Linda Takata and Debra McGerrigle who were among those recognized at the staff event. Mary Lynn attended the final event of the VPL Writer-in-Residence and presented on behalf of the Library Board to the December 9th Special Council meeting on the 2016 operating budget.

ITEMS FOR DECISION

4. Governance Committee Draft Terms of Reference

The Chief Librarian presented the Governance Committee’s draft Terms of Reference (TOR) that describes the general role and composition of the committee. Commissioner Evans suggested some minor revisions to the TOR.

Moved by Carellin Brooks and seconded John Schaub

That the Board approve the Governance Committee’s Terms of Reference as amended.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

5. Donor Recognition Policy

The Chief Librarian presented a proposed amendment to the Board’s Donor Recognition Policy that allowed for the renaming of library branches, including the Central Library, in recognition of significant philanthropic contributions to the Library, provided that the branch was not already commemoratively named or named through a community consultation process. Numerous Trustees noted that while staff reviewed the policies and practices of other libraries across the country, the report did not include an analysis of the City’s Naming Rights policy and that this should be included. Trustee Epstein noted a concern about the risks of using private donations to fund public services. Trustees also noted other gaps in the report and/or policy, including concerns around naming after people who are living and the advisability of stipulating that such persons have made lifelong commitments to the Library or its values. After extensive discussion, the following amended motion was brought forward:

Moved by Catherine Evans and seconded John Schaub

THAT the Board approve the proposed revisions to the Donor Recognition Policy with the following amendment: that commemorative naming will continue to involve a community consultation process and that philanthropic naming or renaming of a branch will not be undertaken without that branch receiving significant benefit.

Motion is defeated

(3 in favour, 5 opposed, 1 abstention)

The Chief Librarian indicated that she would bring a revised report that provides the information noted as important but missing in the current report to the February meeting of the Community Relations, Planning, and Development Committee.

6. Summer of Learning

Staff presented a report on the Summer of Learning evaluation follow-up that includes feedback from partners and some of the challenges and successes of the program. Staff recommended that we do not proceed with another Summer of Learning program in 2016 owing to low interest among the partners. Trustees thanked staff and expressed their appreciation for all the work they have done for the success of this program in 2015.

Moved by Amanda Card and seconded Kyla Epstein

THAT the Board approve that the Library not plan a Summer of Learning program for 2016.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEMS FOR DISCUSSION

7. InterLINK: Governance Policies and 2016 Provisional Budget

The InterLINK Board has been working on their Governance and Financial Policies and has integrated significant feedback from the InterLINK Administrators Advisory Group into the revisions. The Provisional 2016 budget contains anticipated expenditures and was forecast based on decreased physical lending between libraries. The InterLINK Board will approve the draft policies and the 2016 budget at its first meeting in 2016. The Chief Librarian commended Vice Chair John Schaub for his leadership at InterLINK.

Moved by Carellin Brooks and seconded Gordon Ross

THAT the Board receive the InterLINK Governance policies and the 2016 Provisional Budget for information.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEMS FOR CONSENT

Moved by Amanda Card and seconded by John Schaub

THAT the following Board reports be approved on consent:

• Activity Reports: Central and Branches – November

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• November 2015 Operating Results

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

NEW BUSINESS

8. Budget Update

The Chief Librarian reported that City Council approved the net 2016 operating budget in the amount of $48,146,952 including an additional $446,300 to operate the n?´c?a?mat ct Strathcona Branch Library from its opening in September, as well as a one-time allocation of $200,000 for collections.

Board Chair Mary Lynn Baum thanked Trustees Brooks, Chan, Card, and Epstein for follow-up with their Council liaisons and advocating for the approval of the 2016 operating budget. It was agreed that the Board will write a letter of appreciation to City Council.

Moved by Kyla Epstein and seconded by Gordon Ross

THAT the Board receive the verbal update for information.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

9. HR Director

The Chief Librarian announced that Human Resources Director Ingrid VanKemenade will retire at the end of February 2016. She noted how much she has appreciated Ingrid’s leadership of the HR Department and her contributions to the senior team.

ADJOURN

There being no further business, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 9:30 p.m. and moved to in-camera.

Signed by: Mary Lynn Baum, Chair and Sandra Singh, Secretary