Board Meeting June 2019

CHAIR TO CALL MEETING TO ORDER

I) PRESENTATION

a) Cheque Presentation – Friends of VPL

II) ADMINISTRATION

a) Removal of Items from Consent Agenda
b) Approval of the Agenda – Additions/Alterations
c) Minutes – Receive/approve draft minutes of Board meeting held April 24, 2019: Download

III) REQUEST FOR INFORMATION FROM:

• CUPE Local 391
• Friends
• VPL Foundation
• VPL Trustees

IV) ITEM FOR DECISION

a) Board Procedure Policy: Download
b) Board Communications Protocol: Download
c) Canadian Urban Libraries Council eContent Government Relations Campaign: Download
d) $20 Million in 2020 Provincial Campaign: Download

V) ITEM FOR INFORMATION

a) Mural Update (Verbal)

VI) ITEMS FOR CONSENT

Information Items for Consent

DIRECT TO BOARD            

a) Monthly Outcomes Report – April & May 2019
b) BCLTA Liaison Report: Download
c) InterLINK Grant Annual Report 2018: Download

CRPD COMMITTEE

d) Draft Minutes - June CRPD Committee Regular Meeting: Download
e) 2020 to 2023 Strategic Plan Update: Download
f) VPL 2020 Progress Report – Q1 2019: Download

CORRESPONDENCE

g) April 25/19 – Letter from Library Board Chair to Mayor and City Council re: Draft City of Vancouver Sponsorship Policy: Download
h) May 6/19 – Letter from Defend Dignity to Library Board re: Internet Filters: Download
i)  June 20/19 – Response Letter from Board Chair John Schaub to Defend Dignity re: Internet Filters: Download
j)  June13/19 – Letter from Public Library InterLINK to Board Chair John Schaub re: 2018 Grant: Download
k) June 20/19 – Response Letter from Board Chair John Schaub to Public Library InterLINK re: 2018 Grant: Download

VII) DISCUSSION OF ITEMS PULLED FROM CONSENT

VIII) NEW BUSINESS

IN CAMERA MEETING RATIONALE

THAT the Library Board will go into meeting later tonight which is closed to the public, pursuant to Section 5 (n) of the Board Procedure Policy, to discuss matters related to paragraphs:

6 (n) (3) Labour relations or other employee relations
6 (n) (10) Negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Board, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the Library if they were held in public.

 

VISION, MISSION, AND VALUES

Vision Statement - An informed, engaged, and connected city.

Mission Statement - A free place for everyone to discover, create and share ideas and information.

Values

We value:

• diversity
• access for all
• intellectual freedom
• learning and curiosity
• patron-centred services
• community-led planning
• community partnerships
• innovation and creativity
• respectful spaces and communication
• staff development and collaboration
• effective use of resources
• sustainability

Present:  Jennifer Chan, Vice Chair; Kurt Heinrich; Zahra Hussein (left at 7:30pm); Stuart Mackinnon, Vancouver Park Board Commissioner; Raji Mangat, Vice Chair (left at 7:15pm); John Schaub, Chair
Rhonda Sherwood; Abeer Yusuf

Absent:  Clr. Christine Boyle, City Council Representative; Rebecca Jules; Kevin Lowe; Barbara Parrot,    Vancouver School Board Trustee; Harlan Pruden

Management Present: Christina de Castell, Chief Librarian; Kay Cahill, Director, Collections & Technology
Julie Iannacone, Director, Neighbourhood & Youth Services; Dawn Ibey, Director, Library Experience; Julia Morrison, Director, Corporate Services & Facilities; Carol Nelson, Director, Planning & Communications; Balwinder Rai, Director, Human Resources

Staff:  Maryn Ashdown, Assoc Director, Neighbourhood & Youth Services; Patricia Chong,    Manager, Policy & Planning

Guests:  Ann True, President, Friends of VPL Board; Darius Maze, Member, Friends of VPL Board; Tristan Klassen, Manager of Philanthropy, VPL Foundation; Rose Terzariol, Director, VPL Foundation; Julian Key, Member-at-Large, CUPE Local 391; Liza Saayman, Recording Secretary, CUPE Local 391

Recording Secretary: Chrysalyn Tolentino, Executive Assistant

PRESENTATION

1. Cheque Presentation – Friends of VPL

The Friends of VPL Board President Ann True presented the Library Board with a cheque for the amount of $60,000. The Friends also presented $20,000 to the VPL Foundation. The Board Chair, on behalf of the Board, thanked the Friends of VPL for their support.

ADMINISTRATION

2.  Removal of Items from Consent Agenda

No agenda items were pulled out of consent.

3.  Approval of the Agenda

Moved by Stuart Mackinnon and seconded by Zahra Hussein

THAT the Board approve the regular meeting agenda as received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

4. Approval of the Items for Consent

Moved by Jennifer Chan and seconded by Kurt Heinrich

THAT the following Board reports be approved on consent:

• Monthly Outcomes Report – April & May 2019

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• BCLTA Liaison Report

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• InterLINK Grant Annual Report 2018

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• Draft Minutes – April CRPD Committee Regular Meeting

THAT the Library Board receive the minutes for information.

• 2020 to 2023 Strategic Plan Update

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• VPL 2020 Progress Report – Q1 2019

THAT the Library Board receive the report for information.

• Correspondence

THAT the Library Board receive the correspondence for information.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

5. Minutes

The draft minutes of the Regular Meeting held April 24, 2019 were presented to the Board for approval.  

Moved by Raji Mangat and seconded by Stuart Mackinnon

THAT the draft minutes of the Regular Meeting held April 24, 2019 be approved as amended.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

CUPE Local 391

Julian Key, Member-at-Large of CUPE 391 introduced to the Board Liza Saayman, CUPE 391’s Recording Secretary. Julian reported that six members attended the CUPE BC Convention in Victoria in May 2019 and the Union won the best newsletter award. Julian added that the Union President and Secretary attended the Accommodation Law Conference from May 15-16, 2019 where they had conversations around duty to accommodate and the impact on unionized workplaces in Canada. The Union is also currently gathering staff input about section 7.3 of the 2017-2019 Strategic Plan.

Friends

Ann True, President of Friends, reported that the membership approved all the funding requests. She added that the Bookmark’ manager is retiring at the end of summer and they are currently searching for her replacement. VPL Human Resources will be assisting them with the hiring process.

VPL Foundation

Tristan Klassen, VPL Foundation’s Manager of Philanthropy, reported that their annual budget was recently approved by their board. Their fiscal year ends in June and so far, they have received over $800,000 in donations including $8,480 from Library Giving Day. He added that the VPL Foundation staff will move to their new offices on Level 9 at the end of June. The second Beyond the Book Gala will be held on September 12 and they currently accepting sponsors.

<Vice Chair Raji Mangat left the meeting in-person at 7:15 pm and re-joined by teleconference>

VPL Trustees

Park Board Commissioner Stuart Mackinnon reported that the Vancouver Aquarium has reached a new lease agreement with the Vancouver Park Board that will allow the Aquarium to remain in Stanley Park for the next 35 years. Ocean Wise, the Aquarium’s parent company, has also agreed to drop all legal action against the park board and the City of Vancouver. The Park Board will hold a special meeting on July 17 to review and discuss the VanPlay Masterplan for the City of Vancouver Parks and Recreation. On a personal note, Stuart is retiring at the end of June from his teaching position.

Vice Chair Jennifer Chan attended the Women Deliver Conference satellite session held in the Alice Mackay Room on June 3 where she had an opportunity to chat with Clr. Adriane Carr. Jennifer also attended the BCLTA Conference.

Trustee Rhonda Sherwood attended the Women Deliver Conference and met with MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert where they discussed the $20 million in 2020 Campaign.

Vice Chair Raji Mangat (written report) attended programming connected to National Indigenous History Month on June 20 at the Mount Pleasant Branch, where former VPL Indigenous Storyteller in Residence Renae Morriseau led students from Simon Fraser Elementary School in learning about her community's traditions of song and celebration, as well as those of many Coast Salish peoples. Later on June 20, she introduced at the reading of the City's declaration on World Refugee Day at Central and participated in several events connected to World Refugee Day. She has connected with Clr. Rebecca Bligh and MLA David Eby and is setting up a meeting with them. She hopes to accompany David Eby on a tour of Levels 8 & 9, as he has not seen them yet. Raji also attended the BCLTA Conference in May, presented at the June 26 City Council meeting in support of Councillor Christine Boyle's motion to increase provincial funding for public libraries, and did some outreach via email to her Council liaison (Rebecca Bligh) in advance of the meeting.

Board Chair John Schaub met with Mayor Kennedy Stewart and attended a number of VPL Foundation meetings.

ITEMS FOR DECISION

6. Board Procedure Policy

Jennifer Chan, Board Governance Chair, provided a summary of the revisions proposed for the Board Procedure Policy including the framing of conduct of delegations, identifying the need for clarification of exclusion from voting due to conflict of interest, and recommending changing the procedure for hearing individual reports from trustees to written reports submitted to the Executive Assistant a week in advance of the meeting, in order to allow more time for discussion and analysis of policy issues. Questions arose around the Trustee roundtable discussions and Trustee Yusuf expressed the value for relationship building, while Trustee Sherwood noted it is best practice to focus on strategic discussion. At the conclusion of the discussion, the following motion was raised:

Moved by Kurt Heinrich and seconded by Rhonda Sherwood

THAT the Board approve the revised Board Procedure Policy.

CARRIED (1 opposed)

7. Board Communications Protocol

Jennifer Chan, Board Governance Chair, noted that the Committee revised the Board Communications Protocol to incorporate expectations to check Board VPL email accounts on a weekly basis, use of personal email accounts for transitory messages requiring actions, use of devices and other communication mechanisms, as well as Board obligations under BC FOIPPA. Vice Chair Chan noted some corrections to section 2.3. Trustees also sought clarification on VPL email access.

Moved by Kurt Heinrich and seconded by Stuart Mackinnon

THAT the Board adopt the VPL Board Policy: Board Communications Protocol as amended.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

<Trustee Zahra Hussein left the meeting at 7:30 pm>

8. Canadian Urban Libraries Council eContent Government Relations Campaign

Kay Cahill, Director of Collections & Technology, reported that the Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) has launched a new phase of their campaign to raise awareness of issues that are restricting public library access to digital content. The current phase focuses on political advocacy and raising awareness among municipal and federal officials in an effort to attract attention, gain public support, and generate political will to seek a Canada-wide solution that will assist libraries in providing core digital services to communities. Staff asked the Board to provide a draft proposed motion for Vancouver City Council consideration in support of digital content advocacy, and that Trustees send letters to Vancouver-based Members of Parliament to raise awareness of issues. Trustees discussed the value of letters from individuals compared to letters from the Board Chair.

Moved by Abeer Yusuf and seconded by Stuart Mackinnon

THAT the VPL Board support the CULC eContent Government Advocacy campaign by:
1) Providing a draft proposed motion for Vancouver City Council consideration in support of digital content advocacy.
2) Individual trustees sending letters to Vancouver-based Members of Parliament to raise awareness of issues affecting digital content access and generate political support for a solution.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

9. $20 Million in 2020 Provincial Campaign

Kurt Heinrich, Chair of the Community Relations, Planning & Development Committee noted that the Committee discussed the campaign to address the lack of increases in provincial funding to libraries in BC since 2009. BC Library Partners organized the $20 Million in 2020 campaign and the Committee recommended that VPL participate in this endeavor by sending a letter to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services and that Trustees contact their MLA liaisons to discuss and advocate for the increase in provincial funding.

Moved by Stuart Mackinnon and seconded by Kurt Heinrich

THAT the Board approve sending a letter to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services: Annual Budget Consultation; and

THAT trustees contact MLAs to discuss provincial funding.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

ITEM FOR INFORMATION

10.    Mural Update

Dawn Ibey, Director of Library Experience, shared with the Board that the City sent out a call for proposals earlier this year to Indigenous artists for the City’s Mural Program, and selected Haisla Collins for a mural which will honour Indigenous women and girls for their contribution to arts, their connection to the land, their resilience and their contribution to the community. The work will be situated above the elevators on Level 2 and will start mid-July and be completed in the fall, with work taking place during closed hours. Once complete, we hope to do a program with the artist to celebrate and learn more about the art, its inspiration, and the artists. Trustees asked about the formal unveiling and suggested a time lapse video of the development of the mural. Dawn will send via email the drawing for Trustees information.

ADJOURN

Moved by Stuart Mackinnon and seconded by Kurt Heinrich

There being no further business, the Chair declared the meeting adjourned at 7:50 p.m. and moved to in-camera as per Board Procedure Policy 5(n)(3) to discuss labour relations or other employee relations; and 5(n)(10) negotiations and related discussions respecting the proposed provision of an activity, work or facility that are at their preliminary stages and that, in the view of the Board, could reasonably be expected to harm the interests of the Library if they were held in public.

Signed by: John Schaub, Chair and Christina de Castell, Secretary