InsideOLBA. A Message from President Kim Vares We re funny creatures. For and about members of the ONTARIO LIBRARY BOARDS ASSOCIATION.

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1 For and about members of the ONTARIO LIBRARY BOARDS ASSOCIATION InsideOLBA Fall 2013 No. 33 ISSN A Message from President Kim Vares We re funny creatures of habit. We celebrate the New Year annually with renewed excitement and enthusiasm and mark the occasion with dedication to resolutions to lose weight, eat more vegetables, travel more, exercise more et cetera, et cetera. Yet we see the Fall and the day after Labour Day weekend as a second renewal point in our calendar year. This is our chance to start anew again. Structured routines fall back into place after relaxed summer vacation; exercise classes start on schedule again; children are back to school; diets start again; and long, warm evenings outdoors give way to cooler temperatures, shorter days and leaves dropping. Meetings, whether work or volunteer related, start again after a summer hiatus. If your Library Board convenes over the summer months, September/October will be a coming together again for shared interest and dedication to the delivery of quality library services. You ll be focussing again on accountability, responsibility, planning, budgeting, leading and decision-making, among other important roles as Library Board Members. The Fall brings great opportunity for library boards across the province to review the OLBA s flagship resource, Leadership By Design; particularly checking in with your Members using the Knowledge Gap Analysis in the Leadership Development Toolkit, and assessing your Board s readiness to get back to the business of effective and responsible library governance. Using this tool will provide a well-rounded picture of the knowledge of the Board and highlight areas of governance that may need review or perhaps more formal instruction or education. The toolkit is designed to help your library board plan its training and development activities, and build effective leadership and sound governance. Starting this Fall, addressing identified knowledge gaps can be done at each meeting of the Board going forward. Adding five, ten or fifteen minutes for education to your business agenda allows for ongoing review and discussion of topics related to your responsibilities as board members and supports well-informed decision-making and good governance. Ensuring that our library board members have the skills and knowledge to lead effectively is a responsible way of building strong leaders and strong libraries. There s comfort in routine and the beginning of the Fall season offers us a chance to embrace it and benefit from it. If you haven t done so, take the opportunity this month, or next, to assess and address your Board s collective knowledge. Build in occasion for ongoing education routinely. Kim Featured inside this issue A Message from President Kim Vares... 1 Understanding Your OLA/OLBA Membership 2 Just a Minute: The Reason Library Boards Take Minutes 4 Welcome Aboard Two New Council Members... 7 Attendance at Super Conference is a Must 9 SALT Can Be Good for Everyone 10 Announcements 17

2 Ontario Library Boards Association Understanding Your OLA/OLBA Membership By Beckie MacDonald, Manager Member Services, Ontario Library Association OLA (Ontario Library Association) is a member-based, umbrella association of six unique Divisions. When an individual or groups of individuals (a Board) joins OLA, they are automatically filtered into one of the 6 divisions according to their connection to the library world. OLBA (Ontario Library Boards Association) is one of these 6 divisions. OLA is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of the Executive Committee along with the President and Vice President of each of the 6 divisions. The Ontario Library Boards Association (OLBA) represents public library board members (trustees) on issues relating to their areas of responsibility. The work of the OLBA is primarily to build a professional development (training) program that is responsive to common issues and priorities that affect library board leadership. It provides information materials and training forums for advancing board development. The OLBA Council is composed of 8 Councillors representing all regions of the province plus an executive which includes a Vice President, President, and Past President. Councillors are normally elected to three year terms unless a vacancy is filled by appointment. The elected Vice President is also the President-Elect and becomes the Past President in the third year. All members of OLBA are eligible to run for election to the Council. Public Library Board Members have a unique membership with OLA: each public library board member becomes an individual member of OLA/OLBA when the entire board joins as one group. The annual fee schedule is designed to encourage as many Ontario Public Library Boards as possible to belong to OLA to strengthen the voice for libraries in Ontario. Once your board has joined, each library board member is extended full, individual membership privileges and voting rights. Library CEOs and staff are in a separate membership category and belong to the OPLA (Ontario Public Library Association) division. It s important to remember that people join OLA, not library systems. As a current member of OLA/OLBA, all member benefits are extended to you! You will receive publications (both paper and electronic), your name is added to the OLBA listserv (olba-l@accessola.com) where you can send an to all other OLBA members/colleagues with questions or ideas to share and receive answers and ideas from other board members from around the province, you have access to Wilson Web Library Literature Database, you can borrow from our Technology Lending Library, you qualify for home/car insurance discounts, you are extended discounted member only rates for programs and events (e.g. OLA s annual Super Conference), and the list goes on! As an OLA/OLBA member, you can also individually opt to join at no additional cost either our OLITA (Ontario Library Information Technology Association) division if you are interested in keeping abreast with information around technology in libraries or ABO- Franco (L Association des bibliothèques de l Ontario- Franco) if you would like to be connected with other members who serve French communities in Ontario. It is important that we have your address for communications from OLBA-specific sources as well as general OLA office communications (e.g. Super Conference registration messages, etc). is one of our main methods used to connect with you and share information. Your is also used to verify your membership and vote in the annual election for your OLBA Council. n If you have questions or would like to know more about any of the mentioned member services or benefits, please OLA Member Services staff Beckie or Michael at: membership@accessola.com or call us at: x223 ( outside the GTA). 2

3 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 Greetings From the Editors Don Lynch, Lisa Csele and Lynn Humfress-Trute Welcome to the Fall 2013 Issue of InsideOLBA! The editorial team have endeavored to present an eclectic collection of articles that you will find both entertaining and enlightening. We encourage feedback and are always looking for constructive criticism, comments, and even the occasional compliment, as we can only do better if we hear from the readers. Do you have an interesting story to tell or do you know someone in the library world who does? If so, we ll be happy to send along our editorial guidelines. Our contact information is on the last page. What s Inside? There isn t a theme per se, but there is a definite focus on an under-appreciated yet vital part of any board meeting: minute taking. You may not be taking minutes right now but you may be called upon to do so, and you certainly read the minutes of every meeting. We hope that after reading the articles related to minutes in this issue you ll be more aware of the importance of this public record. Missed an Issue or Specific Article? Back issues of all of OLA s newsletters are available on the website: Click on Divisions; OLBA; publications; and then look for InsideOLBA. There s a drop down menu with all the back issues of the newsletter. Click on the one you want and download the pdf. Thank You! Thank you for being an involved volunteer and serving your community by sitting on your library board. Thank you also for reading InsideOLBA, a publication written by and for library board members, who strive for governance and editorial excellence! Don, Lisa and Lynn There are also articles of general interest as well as important information about upcoming events and dates to circle on your calendar. We hope you find them all interesting. ATTENTION ASPIRING WRITERS: OLBA Needs Feature Articles! With the exciting new developments recently announced by Mike Ridley, Editor of AccessOLA (soon to be renamed), OLBA is looking to develop a collection of interesting feature articles from its Membership, which may be used for submission and possible inclusion in OLA s new publication! We know there are many talented authors and aspiring writers out there. If you have a story to share that details successful ventures within your library community or speaks to your peers on any facet of library governance, please share these stories with us! Even if you may be intimidated at the thought of writing for a magazine, please don t let that prevent you from submitting your stories. We d be honoured to help you develop your submission into a polished piece! So put your creative caps on, dust off the computer keys, use this opportunity to network with your fellow board members, and submit your articles to: don2852@gmail.com 3

4 Ontario Library Boards Association JUST A MINUTE... By Lisa Csele, OLBA Councillor, Mid-Central Ontario Region The Reason Library Boards Must Take Minutes, What Purpose They Serve and How to Take Them 4 Why Do Library Boards Take Minutes? Under the Public Libraries Act, a Library Board is responsible for ensuring that full and correct minutes are kept. 1 In addition, the Board is required to appoint a Secretary who shall...keep minutes of every meeting of the board. 2 However, the Act does not prescribe how minutes are to be kept. Many Library Boards use Robert s Rules of Order as a procedural guide for their meetings. Robert s Rules describes how minutes may be kept. It is important to remember, however, that Robert s Rules applies to other sorts of meetings as well. As David Street writes: These sorts of minutes are generally not regulated by statutes and therefore may not be subject to the same standards as minutes of directors meetings. 3 Library Boards are corporations 4 and therefore would be subject to the same standards as minutes of directors meetings. By law, all corporations are required to keep minutes of meetings of directors. What Purposes Do Minutes Serve? What Minutes Are Not: First let s get out of the way some of the misconceptions regarding the purpose of the Minutes of a corporation. Corporate Minutes are not: Transcripts of proceedings A substitution for members of the public s attendance at a meeting An objective record A tool for staff or any other third parties What Minutes Are: Protection for members of the Board from potential liability A self-serving written record to establish that business decisions are based on appropriate prudence and diligence 5 Documentary evidence of whether and how the directors fulfilled their duties to: Manage or supervise the management of the business and the affairs of the corporation Act in the best interest of the corporation Exercise due care 6 How to Take Minutes The level of detail that should appear in the minutes has been the subject of debate. One school of thought is that less is more. Under this approach, minutes include the text of resolutions accompanied by little narrative. The rationale behind this approach is that it will provide less ammunition to plaintiffs for future litigation against the directors. 7 However, the other prevailing view is that: the bare-bones approach is not appropriate for public companies as minutes of that type do nothing to satisfy third parties that the board members are properly entitled to rely on the business judgment rule to protect themselves from potential liability. Minutes are prima facie evidence of what transpired, and while preferably not voluminous, should succinctly and accurately reflect the material aspects of the board s deliberations. The formal record should be a selfserving record of discussions and decisions on material issues. Merely recording formal resolutions is no longer sufficient or advisable. 8 As a result, in order for minutes to achieve their purposes, they must contain enough narrative detail. Still, too much detail will expose board members to liability if commentary is later taken out of context and infused with unintended meaning and significance in the course of subsequent litigation. The proper balance between enough and too much detail can be achieved using best practices: Narrative detail should be a high-level summary of the matters discussed... It is not sufficient to record that the board had a detailed and lengthy discussion of the issues involved. 9 Timothy M. Banks further writes that: Board minutes with appropriate detail will provide the reader with the following information: The substance of the matter Any questions asked of management, consultants, advisors and experts and the responses given by them Concerns raised by board members and the responses to those concerns Factors taken into account in arriving at the decision made by the board The text of any resolution continued on page 5

5 Inside OLBA Fall continued from page 4 Formalities with respect to who moved a motion, whether the resolution carried Whether and when management was expected to report to the board with respect to the implementation of the decision The approximate length of time spent discussing the matter It is unnecessary, in most cases, for the minutes to address which director asked a particular question or had a particular concern (though dissents may be recorded at the request of a director). Remember that while accuracy is important, you have flexibility in deciding what to include and what words to use. Interpret your minutes from the perspective of an adverse party in a lawsuit and then write your minutes protectively. There is no legal requirement that minutes be a verbatim recording of what transpired at a directors meeting. In Camera Minutes Minutes of closed meetings are kept much in the same way as the minutes of open meetings. Be sure to identify which PLA exception you are holding your closed session under. Also keep in mind that these minutes may later be read: by an auditor, lawyer or judge or future Board member and there is always the potential that they could enter the public domain. The closed meeting minutes ought to be stored 10 in such a way that the confidentiality of the subject matter is completely preserved. To Record or Not Record While recording meetings may seem like a good idea, it may actually serve to undermine the protective purposes that minutes are designed to serve. Discussion of issues at directors meetings is a process whereby the Board as a whole refines its thinking. These discussions naturally and innocently may contain comments from individual members that are preliminary, not well-thought out and uninformed prior to the actual thoughtful decision of the Board as a whole. 11 Preserving these comments does not serve the purpose of protecting the board but instead will serve the sole purpose of providing fodder for adversaries in any subsequent litigation. Further, the knowledge of the fact that such comments are being preserved could also lead to such caution on the part of Board members that discussion is stifled and the risk of the Board making a poor decision is unacceptably increased. Finally, there should only be one version of the minutes in existence. Keeping track of corrections made or alternative version will only serve to undermine the minutes at the precise time when you need to rely on them. n 1 R.S.O. 1990, c. P44, s. 20(e) 2 S. 15(3)(b) 3 David R. Street, Lerners LLP, A Minute On...Minutes (2013) 4 Public Libraries Act, s. 3(3) 5 Robert D. Chapman, Edward P Kerwin, Richard A. Shaw, McCarthy Tetrault, 2007 How Much Detail Should Corporate Minutes Contain? 6 Timothy M. Banks, Partner Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Board Minutes for Peace of Mind: The Corporate Secretary s Herculean Task (February 2012) 7 Robert D. Chapman, Edward P Kerwin, Richard A. Shaw, McCarthy Tetrault, 2007 How Much Detail Should Corporate Minutes Contain? 8 J.B. Colburn The Efficient Corporate Secretary in Strategies for Success: Management Techniques for Small and New In-House Law Departments (Canadian Bar Association: Ontario June 1, 1987) at 9 9 Adapted from: Timothy M. Banks, Partner Fraser Milner Casgrain LLP, Board Minutes for Peace of Mind: The Corporate Secretary s Herculean Task (February 2012) 10 This passage has been subjected to minor editing 11 David R. Street, Lerners LLP, A Minute On...Minutes (2013) GOVERNANCE TIDBITS What is Governance? It is the entire framework set by the board to direct the organization; conduct business; determine how power will be divided and delegated; and decide what processes will be set to achieve accountability. You have the Power! The power to oversee the library s finances; to make policy; to set fees; and to hire the CEO. continued on page 6 5

6 Ontario Library Boards Association Another Look at Board Minutes Sabrina Saunders PhD. CEO, Six Nations Public Library Editorial Note: From time to time, questions are posed to OLBA Council by Board Members across the province. Recently we have received several questions regarding the minutes of in-camera meetings. For a different take on the whole question of minutes, it was decided to ask for a CEO s opinion on the subject, since in many instances it is the CEO who acts as secretary. What follows are the questions and one CEO s answers to those specific questions. Q: Regarding the minutes of in-camera meetings: an Auditor has asked for the minutes of incamera meetings. Apparently that s appropriate. It does beg the question, What should be included in the minutes, how much detail? A: In-Camera minutes are usually drafted in more of a briefing note style, where there is a brief (paragraph) describing the background of what is being discussed and why, followed by the resolution. At the head of In-Camera, given that the Public Library Act (PLA) is specific as to what can be in-camera, we cite the PLA section e.g.16.4(e) Litigation Public Library Act or 16.4 (d) Labour Relations. The best answer I can offer is to permit the auditor access only to the in-camera minutes that directly impact the financial decisions of the board. Q: Should the minutes be kept under lock and key in a separate area? Who has access? A: The In-Camera should be secure from general perusal, but do not need to be secured in LOCKED cabinets or file cabinets. They are also made available to any Board Member, lawyer or auditor 1 upon request. Assuming your CEO is the secretary, they may be in the CEO Office, or if you are so space healthy, the Board Office. Our Board receives a copy of in-camera minutes for the meeting, but we take them back at the end with only the official signed copy retained all others are shredded. Our In-Camera minutes live in the CEO s office with the official minutes books. A great tip for In-Camera minutes is to put them on a bright colour and always the same colour. If anyone sees that orange paper leaving the Boardroom they will call it out. To expedite the general public who may want to review the Open Minutes of the Library, we have a duplicate book at the Circulation Desk. This book is a 3-inch binder with 10 months of dividers. We round robin the book so each month is always full with the most recent months package (agenda, minutes, attachments, reports, finance nothing from In-Camera) in the book. For example, September is September 2013, but October is still from 2012 and will be replaced with 2013 when we have the meeting. This way there is always 1 year s records available for the public to look at during business hours and we do not need to make appointments and schedule the CEO or some other staff to sit with them while they review the official minutes. Should someone want the Official we would need to sit with them while they review for security, but we would do this as any request must be met according to the PLA. In- Camera would be denied under the grounds of the criteria in the PLA (legal, land, labour, personal, etc.). Q: Our Board has been informed that the Council Rep. cannot be the Secretary as this would be a conflict of interest (or perhaps roles). Has anyone heard of this one before? A: I have never heard of a limitation regarding who can assume the role of secretary. There is no restriction in Section 15 (3) where the secretary is outlined, so I m not sure how a conflict occurs. The PL Act 15 (5) does specifically state that the CEO may be the Secretary and the Treasurer. The minutes, no matter who has taken them, must be reviewed by all members of the Board and then approved by resolution. Any changes to them after approval would not be a conflict, but fraud. 1 Editorial Comment: While it is agreed that Board Members must have access to In-Camera Minutes, access for Auditors might be given... but that is dependent upon the circumstances. As far as access to Minutes by lawyers, again, that would really be dependent upon the circumstances. In situations which involve litigation, if the lawyer for the Board needs access, then obviously this is granted, but not necessarily to the litigant on the other side. Therefore in instances of litigation, Boards are advised to consult their legal counsel before any disclosure is made. n 6

7 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 Welcome Aboard Two New Members of OLBA Council! Just to remind you, we are all board members and dedicated volunteers serving our respective communities by providing leadership and governance for one of the most important entities in any community, the local public library. We accept our duties and responsibilities enthusiastically and do our best to ensure that our libraries are well run and appreciated. Beyond that, a few board members step forward to help all libraries by serving on the Ontario Library Boards Association, which is the only division of the Ontario Library Association composed of volunteers rather than staff who work in libraries. Representing all geographical regions in the province, OLBA Councillors come together four times a year in Toronto to do the work of the Association and advance the quality of all member library boards. Councillors normally are elected to three year terms on the OLBA Council, however, occasionally a Councillor is unable to complete the term, thus creating a vacancy. In that circumstance, a call is put out for expressions of interest. That was the case this year. Not one but two Council vacancies arose and we were delighted to find and appoint two outstanding new Councillors. The first to come aboard the good ship OLBA was Carol Grieve from the Thunder Bay Public Library where she has served since Carol represents the Northwestern Region, which includes Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, and North of Superior. With extensive experience serving on other community boards, she brings with her knowledge that will stand her in good stead in her new role. She prefers a collaborative approach when working with colleagues, and has extensive practice in planning and organizing groups. With a Master s Degree in Education from Lakehead University, Carol is an experienced educator with a strong interest in, and commitment to, community issues, and in promoting partnerships. While serving on her library board, she has worked on the CEO hiring committee as well as the board policy and planning committee, which is her main focus. Never one to shy away from a challenge, Carol sees her role as a Councillor on the Ontario Library Boards Association as an opportunity to learn, gain new experience, and collaborate with the other Councillors. She is honoured to represent the Northwest and serve all of the libraries in her region. Carol may be contacted at carolgrieve@shaw.ca and looks forward to hearing from you. Our most recent recruit is an outstanding individual from North Bay Public Library. Welcome aboard Rick Smith. As the new Councillor representing the Northeastern Region which includes the communities in and around the Algoma, Cochrane, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, Timiskaming districts, Rick comes to the OLBA Council with a most interesting background. He presently works with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, beginning his career as a parttime correctional officer at the Cobourg Jail in He is currently a policy analyst with the Professional and Shared Services, Strategic and Operational Initiatives Branch at the corporate office in North Bay. The primary focus of his duties is the establishment of community boards to enhance community engagement between correctional facilities and the communities in which they are located. Rick brings a wealth of experience to the Council and adds to the collective wisdom which the OLBA hopes to share with libraries throughout Ontario. Previously, he served as a Board Member of the Valley East Library Board, in Hanmer, in 1999 and 2000, prior to its amalgamation with the Greater City of Sudbury. Appointed in January 2012 to the North Bay Public Library Board, Rick is a library champion. I believe public libraries are the cornerstone and heart of a community. It doesn t matter who you are, how you got there, where you fit in, or where you are going: public libraries are the great equalizer. Public libraries contribute to the literacy, education, and social well-being of the communities they serve. Going further, Rick emphasises his passion for libraries. Growing up, the public library was my sanctuary and refuge. It turned me on to a lifelong obsession of reading and learning; and for that I am eternally grateful. The resources that libraries provide have changed significantly over my lifetime, all for the better. continued on page 8 7

8 Ontario Library Boards Association Welcome Aboard Two New Members......continued from page 7 Genealogy and the process of self-discovery are two subjects of great interest to him. History and exploration of the past, fuels his curiosity. He is quick to acknowledge that libraries everywhere, big and small, have helped him on his journey. To Rick, libraries are more than buildings filled with books. They are vibrant centres of life-long learning that help to shape and define who we are through the knowledge and sense of community we gain. Over the past 25 years he has lived in several towns and cities throughout the Northeastern Region, including: Sault Ste Marie, Haileybury, Sudbury, Hanmer, and finally North Bay, which has been his home for the past 13 years. Rick looks forward to the challenges and opportunities to serve as an OLBA Councillor. Your new Councillor can be contacted at: willow_acre@hotmail.com Once again, welcome aboard Carol and Rick! I m sure they are looking forward to hearing from board members in the Northeastern and Northwestern Regions. Please don t hesitate to contact them. n Library Champion: Don Lynch 1. What do you value most in other people? What I most value is honesty, and what goes with that are confidence, trust, and openness. An honest person can also be counted on to be truthful and frank, if necessary. If you ask an honest person a question, you shouldn t have to question the sincerity of their answer. 2. What has been your all-time favourite read? My favourite read is In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash by Jean Shepherd. If you enjoyed the movie A Christmas Story with Ralph and his quest for a Red Ryder BB gun, you will enjoy that semi-autobiographical book because it s the source. If you ever wondered why an old aunt would send Ralph a pink bunny suit because she believed he was a she, it will now make sense. Jean Shepherd was Ralph. 3. If the whole world were listening, what would you say? Don is OLBA s Council Vice President His 2013 portfolios include: Chair of Bursaries Committee, Editor InsideOLBA Chair, Six Nations Public Library Make the most of every day; appreciate what you have; take nothing for granted; and let others know what they really mean to you. 4. Who is your favourite author? My all time favourite author is without a doubt the American humourist Samuel Langhorne Clemmons, better known as Mark Twain. 5. What are you currently reading? Editorial Team Comment: Don failed to mention that he is a huge, Coronation St. fan who can name every character since the series began! I m re-reading a great, true crime story with an Ontario connection: A Hand in the Water: The Many Lies of Albert Walker by Bill Schiller. Truth is often stranger than fiction and this extremely well-written book is a fine example. I highly recommend it. n 8

9 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 Attendance at Super Conference is a Must Murray McCabe, Chief Librarian, County of Wellington Whether you are a politician or a private citizen, you ve made an initial investment by putting your name forward to sit as a trustee on your local library board. That four year commitment, like any investment, costs you time and money and can provide significant returns for you and your community if you take the time to nurture your understanding of the business called public libraries. Along with your required attendance at monthly meetings there is just one more must attend meeting, the annual Ontario Library Association Super Conference. The business of guiding and governing a public library system is big business, big money, and promises significant opportunities to ensure your community is healthy and vibrant. In 2010, the public library sector in Ontario spent $622 million on operating costs and an additional $49.5 million was invested in capital projects. 1 Who would have guessed! Libraries are economic drivers to the local and provincial economy and the ideas and education that flow from them are priceless. Therefore, attendance by all, some, or one member of your board and library each year at the Super Conference should be a must. Attendance by a member(s) of your board is the cost of doing business and should be in your operating budget along with funds to send your Chief Librarian or their designate. With approximately 150 trustees attending each year there is room for more to participate. Over the years I ve worked with great boards that understand the importance of conferences and the need for some or all of the trustees to attend at least one day of a conference. OLBA offers five limited bursaries for those who live far from Toronto, but that is only one option for participating. Super Conference attendance is an expense that should be covered by the attendee s library, as part of professional development, and as such it is important that it be discussed and supported during the annual budget process. The return on investment for those who can attend is realized in future decisions made at the board table and helps you act with confidence when advocating for library services throughout the year. The Super Conference is the largest and most successful library gathering of its kind in Canada, attracting close to 5,000 registrants each year. Librarians, trustees, vendors, and architects come from across Canada and beyond each year to hear about trends and to learn from a host of informed and interesting speakers. What s in it for Trustees? To start with, you need to know what is trending in the library world so that you can make informed decisions about planning for future services at your public library. You are responsible for the expenditure of public tax dollars and for ensuring the best services are being delivered. Super Conference offers a multitude of sessions geared specifically to trustees like, Troubleshooting a Board, and Understanding the Public Libraries Act. By attending Super Conference you will find yourself immersed in best library practices and yes you will see how many others are tackling the same issues you are facing. The job of advocating for public library service depends upon the voices of trustees that represent the community. You carry the weight of the electorate when you speak to funders on the community s behalf. However, that s not to say advocacy starts at election time because it doesn t. Selling the merits and value of a good library system should be an everyday event and attending the Conference will help you in your role as advocate. Networking and meeting other trustees and vendors at an annual conference is always informative. If you are fortunate enough to attend with your fellow board members there is absolutely nothing better than building better personal relationships that can assist you when making tough decisions. Why not ask your municipal CAO or Mayor to attend OLA provides at least one free day of registration for municipal officials. They might appreciate the invitation and be able to tie it into another meeting with your area MPP at Queen s Park or another meeting of municipal interest. Building good working relationships assists everyone and ensures that when budget time arrives everyone is cognisant of the pressures and requirements we all face in meeting the expectations of the community. continued on page 10 9

10 Ontario Library Boards Association Super Conference...continued from page 9 Meet the Most Relevant People Attending the conference allows you to meet staff from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Sport and learn about grants and the Public Libraries Act. As a board member you may also have the opportunity to meet the Minister to ask about changes to the annual operating grant and how the Province can best support the municipalities which pay the lion s share of library costs. OLBA members have the power to ensure the Province s public libraries have the tools to thrive and to that end the membership should be a force to be reckoned with at the largest Canadian library conference. Attending the Super Conference is a must. I encourage you to work with your CEO/Chief Librarian and find a way to make this worthwhile investment. See you at Super Conference in 2014! n 1 The Ministry Tourism, Culture, and Sport Ontario Library Statistics Summary on.ca/en/libraries/statistics2010/2009_2010_summary_comp.pdf 10 SALT Can Be Good for Everyone! Don Lynch In the Spring 2013 edition (No. 31) of InsideOLBA there was an article titled: Policy as A Commitment to First Nations Collection. I urge you to re-read that article because it puts everything in sharp focus and establishes the background for this article. Aboriginal peoples are the fastest growing population in Ontario and their library needs are badly underserved. Since all municipalities have Aboriginal residents and all Ontarians can benefit from Aboriginal content, all public libraries should be establishing collections to recognize and serve this population. Whether the aboriginal population is located on a reserve or in an urban metropolis, it s important that collections of appropriate materials be established to meet the growing needs and demands of this population. The board s role is to establish policy and to budget funds to ensure that collections are developed along with informed staff. How do boards ensure that proper collections are established? As it was stated in the article: The First Nation Communities Read short lists are a great way to build content which is both authored / illustrated by Aboriginal people and supported by or authorized by communities. In the selection criteria or as a separate section you may also want to include a statement on Vendor of Record. Many Libraries have established Vendors of Record for collections, but these may not have strong Aboriginal content, and rarely have experts to assist in purchasing decisions. As such GoodMinds.com, the Vendor of Record for Aboriginal materials during the Ministry $15 Million Grant, and the official vendor for First Nation Communities Read program. This vendor has professional staff that can assist with collection development needs and can discuss authority and quality of materials. Your library probably has an expanding list of Aboriginal patrons, especially if it is located near one or more reserves or in an urban setting. However, there are isolated reserve populations that may or may not have the resources to acquire proper collections and that assumes that they even have a library. There are over 133 First Nations communities in Ontario, yet only 51 First Nations Public Libraries (the number varies because some of these under-funded libraries come and go). There are over 600 First Nations communities in Canada, yet the same number of First Nations Public Libraries exists just 51. Think about it. Less than ten per cent of aboriginal communities have a library. Those few First Nations communities fortunate to have libraries are usually under-funded, one or two person facilities with limited hours of operation. Only Six Nations of the Grand River, which serves the largest First Nations population in Canada, has an OPLG Accredited public library with a fully independent library board as defined by the Public Library Act.. What can be done to help the under-served and the vast number of un-served communities; and what can other libraries do to help address the inequity? Perhaps a little SALT is the answer. SALT is an acronym for Supporting Aboriginal Libraries Today. It s a fund recently established by GoodMinds.com, an Aboriginal owned book seller located on Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in southern Ontario. Ten per cent of net book sales will be contributed to the fund which will assist aboriginal communities to improve their libraries or create libraries where none currently exist. Since individuals, educators, service clubs, organizations, and all public libraries potentially will be purchasing books with aboriginal content; this is a painless way of assisting neglected communities to enjoy all the benefits of a public library, including improved literacy. Just five percent of

11 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 public libraries book buying budgets has the potential of making a significant contribution to SALT. Six Nations which is also the home of GoodMinds.com is the first community to benefit from the SALT fund, as it strives to build a new library and archival repository. The present home of the Library is an 1885 former doctor s residence that is far too small and lacking in accessibility. Many historic books and documents are being kept in less than ideal conditions that will have to suffice until a proper facility is created. With the assistance of SALT, along with other contributions, that facility will be realized. Further information and even a short video are available on the GoodMinds.com website. Simply look for SALT and click on the links. Should you have any questions, contact information is provided. SALT is a great idea that will provide real contributions to aboriginal communities. It is a win-win-win idea. It s a win for GoodMind s SALT fund: the more books purchased, the greater the fund. It s a win for aboriginal communities: funds allocated specifically for libraries will be coming their way. And it s an unexpected win for all public libraries who participate by selecting GoodMinds.com as a vendor. This choice does triple duty: access to the expertise of the largest Aboriginal book vendor in Canada, acquiring books for their special collections, and directing funds to communities in real need of assistance. Forget the negative thoughts about salt being bad for you. Now SALT can be a good thing for all concerned. n It s Nice to Have Friends Ann McLaughlin, Fort Erie Public Library Board Member Q: Whether your library is large or small, urban or rural, single branch, county system, or union library... what is the one thing you have in common? A: You have plans and needs but you re always short of funds. Q: What can you do about it? A: Ask a friend for help!...read on and you ll see what we mean! The Editorial Team Fort Erie is a big town... geographically speaking. Made up of 30,000 people spread across five historical communities, with plenty of farms and woods in between, Fort Erie presents special challenges for running a library system. Our big town is serviced by three library branches, making operating costs higher than in many communities our size. Unfortunately, this is something our municipal budget committee isn t always able to take into account. Faced with a funding shortfall, we ve had to cut service hours to make ends meet. Despite the financial squeeze, it s important we keep working to make our community the best it can be. We re still looking to the future, and have declared our interest in establishing a branch inside a new High School. Of course, this exciting opportunity will mean a huge financial commitment. Budgets are tight everywhere these days, and we don t expect that to change anytime soon. So, the FEPL Board has decided to take action by forming a Friends of the Library group. We made it an action point in implementing our strategic plan. As many library Boards can attest, an engaged, committed Friends group can be a lifeline to a library system. Organized and passionate, among many other things, library Friends are ready to attend council meetings and start letter campaigns to remind city budget committees of the need to fully fund libraries. Friends also act as advocates to the community at large, sponsoring programming and helping out at events. But one of the most important roles of a Friends group is to raise funds. Fort Erie Public Library began our Friends group with a modest fundraising goal in mind: $10,000 in the first year, to go towards purchasing new materials. While other, more well-established groups are able to raise much more, we have decided to take a slow-and-steady approach. For the first meeting in May, our Board initially reached out to engaged library users and subsequent meetings have been open to the public at large, an approach that brought more community members to the project. We now have a steering committee composed of Board and community members, with full CEO participation. Since the meetings began, we have developed a continued on page 12 11

12 Ontario Library Boards Association It s Nice to Have Friends...continued from page 11 constitution, set our membership terms and price structure, and planned our first fundraising event, a cupcake decorating contest. Cupcakes at the Library will, for the price of admission, award attendees an annual Friends membership - with irresistible treats thrown in! Another idea from other friends groups, are to offer lifetime and corporate memberships... a good way to raise funds. Following the cupcake event, our next step will be to establish a regular meeting schedule and elect an executive. We believe that moving slowly in order to let leadership develop naturally will give us an informed and committed executive. While getting the group off the ground can seem daunting, luckily, there are a number of great resources to help. Our Board has avoided many pitfalls thanks to the Friends of Canadian Libraries (FOCAL) straightforward resource guide, How to Set Up a Friends Group written by Dorothy Macnaughton and Jami van Haaften. Reaching out to network with other Friends groups has also provided us with a wealth of information. We talked to the winner of the 2012 Gabriele Schreiber Award from Friends of Canadian Libraries, (FOCAL), North Grenville Public Library, and also got advice from another Niagara Region system, the Pelham Public Library. They are both part of the national trend that FOCAL champions, and enthusiastic about the advocacy, fundraising and volunteer role that Friends provide libraries. We know that over 10,000 Fort Erie residents use and support our library. Forming a Friends group is a way to mobilize that support and improve our contribution to our community. Although Fort Erie Public Library s Friends group was formed in response to an immediate fiscal challenge, it s clear the support of an organized, committed Friends group will help our Library far into the future. Thinking of Starting a Friends Group? Get charity status. As a registered charity, the Pelham Public Library was able to benefit from Ontario Early Years and Trillium Foundation grants that required matching funds and because of the tax breaks it can bring, charitable status can serve to increase private donations as well. Get political. The North Grenville Public Library Friends gathered 300 signatures to defend the library budget against cuts from the mayor s office. The Mayor backed down. Aim High. The North Grenville Friends provided leadership to the campaign that raised $5.5 million to build their new library. Get enough engaged citizens together, and there s no telling what you can do. Have one group for your entire system. If a branch closes, you don t want to lose valuable volunteer strength. Having one united Friends group also provides the people power to work on multiple projects at the same time. Keep the Friends separate from the staff. In a unionized workplace, volunteers cannot do the work of paid staff. The proper role for a friends group is to seek out new opportunities to help the library thrive. Keep the Friends separate from the Board. It s simple: the Board develops the policy; the Friends do the on-the-ground work. Ensuring that both groups know their roles makes for long term harmony. Having Board members participate in the Friends group, however, is a great way to avoid conflicts. Have fun. Serve snacks, give awards, write thank you notes and value the relationships that are built in the Friends. A big executive, including a membership chair and a volunteer chair, makes sure there are plenty of friendly people around. Meeting the need for Friendship in your community through a Friends group is a winning formula. n 12

13 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 OLBA Bursary Draw for Super Conference 2014 All You Need to Know... Once again, OLBA is awarding five bursaries to assist board members living in distant communities to travel to Toronto and experience Super Conference 2014 held in Toronto at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre between 29 Jan. and 1 Feb. 2014! The Bursary Committee has compiled a list of FAQs which will hopefully give you all the information you need to know! What Is Super Conference? It is four days of concentrated education and entertainment for everyone in the library world, including library board members and library professionals. Super Conference presents many unique opportunities to learn new skills, share ideas, and network, as you meet a vast assortment of library board members and professionals. There is so much from which to choose, that it s safe to say that there is something for everyone! While there s no doubt about the opportunities that Super Conference presents, attendance may be prohibitively expensive for those who reside a considerable distance from Toronto. To assist OLBA Member Boards to defray some of these costs, OLBA is offering five bursaries to members of eligible library boards within in the Northwest, Northeast, and the Ottawa Valley regions of Ontario. Who Is Eligible? Public Library Board Members may enter the draw if: They serve on a board which is a member in good standing of OLBA; They have never before attended Super Conference; They serve on a public library board in one of the designated regions; and They are able to cover any remaining expenses, if any, beyond the awarded amount. Cochrane, Nipissing, Parry Sound, Sudbury, and Timiskaming. The Near North Ottawa Valley Region: (As defined by SOLS Trustee Council #7.) Includes: Admaston- Bromley, Barry s Bay & District, Bonnechere Valley, Deep River (WB Lewis), Greater Madawaska (Bagot, Blythfield) Head, Clara & Maria, Killaloe, Laurentian Hills, (Rolph, Buchanan-Chalk River), Pembroke, Petawawa, Renfrew, Arnprior, Whitewater (Beachburg, Cobden, Ross). What Does The Bursary Include? Each bursary includes free Super Conference registration, a ticket to the Ontario Public Library Awards reception, and reimbursement of travel, accommodation and incidental expenses including up to $50 per day towards meals up to the following maximums: $ per person if you re in the Northwest Region; $ per person if you re in the Northeast Region; and $ to the winner in the Near North/Ottawa Valley Region. Who Can Win? There will be two winners from each of the two northern regions and one from the Ottawa Valley. More than one board member per library is allowed to enter the draw as long as the aforementioned pre-requisites are met. However, to make the Super Conference available to as many different libraries as possible, there can be only one winner from any one library. The only exception would be if there were entries from one library only, and no others. Is My Library Within One Of The Designated Regions? (For a detailed list of libraries within the two Northern regions, please refer to the OLBA website > Ontario Libraries.) The Northwestern Region: Includes Kenora, Rainy River, Thunder Bay, and North of Superior. The Northeastern Region: Includes Algoma, Last year s lucky winners continued on page 14 13

14 Ontario Library Boards Association OLBA Bursary Draw for Super Conference...continued from page 13 What Does OLBA Expect In Return? What If I ve Already Registered? If you are a Bursary winner who had already registered, you must ask for a refund and reregister as a Bursary winner in order to receive the winner s benefits. Details will be provided. Two things: 1. The winners must provide a written account of their impressions, thoughts, lessons learned, etc. of Super Conference. These accounts may be published in this newsletter. Photographs are welcomed. 2. The winners are asked to attend Public Library Awards Reception (ticket is provided.) Can I Give My Bursary To Someone Else? The Bursary award is non-transferrable and is for the exclusive use of the winner. Where Do I Stay? The place and type of accommodation is the choice of the recipient, however OLA has negotiated a corporate rate at several of the hotels in the vicinity of the MTCC. For more information on these hotels, please check the OLA website. These hotel rooms go quickly, so make your reservations early. How Do I Receive Payment For My Expenses? The OLA claim form (which will be provided at the initial meeting) must be completed, with the bursary winner s information and signed by the winner. We really encourage individual board members to submit their own entries so that the reimbursement will go directly to the winner. If the payment is to be made to the winner s library, it is important to let us know by indicating so at the bottom right of the claim form and providing the Library s address and contact person s information. Are Receipts Needed? Yes! Reimbursement of expenses, up to the maximum amount of the Bursary, will be made upon presentation of expense receipts. What Should My Written Summary Include? Ideally, what we d like to see is something more than a list of the sessions attended. We d like to know what you gained from the experience and how the lessons learned will benefit you and your fellow board members in the future governance of your libraries. Is An Orientation To Super Conference Provided? Over 4,800 library people attended last year s big event and it can be a bit overwhelming for a first time attendee. To help you, members of the OLBA Council will meet with you at the start of the Conference to let you know what to expect and provide you with all the information needed to have a successful Super Conference experience. At that time, all the necessary information and forms to submit claims for reimbursement of expenses will be provided; as well, OLA provides a first timers workshop as part of the conference. What Is The Deadline For Submission? Deadline for submissions is MIDNIGHT, 15 NOVEMBER 2013 and only one entry per person is permitted. Where Do I Send My Submission? All submissions are to be ed to the OLBA Bursary Coordinator, Pierre Mercier at pierremercier0122@gmail.com. Be sure to include your name, the name of your library board, your contact information (home and/or work phone number, address) in your entry. When Does The Draw Take Place? The draw will take place on 16 November 2013 and the winners will be notified within one week. To Conclude: If you are a library board member who has never experienced Super Conference, and you meet the other eligibility requirements, please consider entering the OLBA Bursary Draw. Every member of a public library board should attend Super Conference at least once. It s a fantastic experience and a tremendous opportunity to learn and network. n Good luck... and we hope to see you there! 14

15 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 Connecting Canada s Library Trustees and Library Boards: The Trustee Network, a Unit of the Canadian Library Association Carol Rigby Moderator, CLA Trustee Network Trustee & Chair of Policy Committee, Perth and District Union Public Library Board (Perth, Ontario) Are you a Public Library Board Member or Trustee interested in connecting with other Trustees across the country who may be wrestling with the same issues as your library board? Or are you looking for people to talk to so you can share ideas, suggestions, and concerns? Then perhaps you might be interested in participating in the Trustee Network, a unit of the Canadian Library Association (CLA). Some of you may recall that at one time, CLA was structured with Divisions, one of which, the Canadian Library Trustees Association (CLTA), representing library boards and trustees across the country. In 2011, CLA members voted for major changes to the CLA constitution that eliminated all of the former Divisions, in order to have a more compact, efficient, and responsive governance structure to cope with the current tight fiscal climate. Instead of having the sub-associations that formed divisions of CLA by library type, members have been encouraged to set up Networks, which are seen to be a more fluid and flexible way to respond to member needs and interests. These networks can be focused on library types or functions, or particular issues of interest. More information about CLA networks in general can be found on their website. The networks lack the formal governance structure of the old divisions, and instead consist of groups of people who have indicated they want to participate in the particular network s activities. One of the goals in setting up the Network structure was to facilitate connections between CLA members and other people who might be interested in the same issues but not be members of CLA. In the new structure, to be recognized by CLA a Network must be proposed by ten CLA members in good standing, and approved by the CLA executive. Each Network also has a CLA member who acts as a moderator, and who coordinates Network activities and reports to the CLA head office. Once the Network is set up, however, anyone is welcome to join whether or not they maintain membership in CLA. So, if you are a member of OLBA, you are free to join the Trustee Network without having to pay any kind of membership fee. The Trustee Network is now a unit of CLA that has identified its purpose as providing a venue for public library trustees to exchange information and concerns amongst themselves and to work with the greater library community on issues raised. Among the goals originally identified when the Network was established to: Use electronic communication tools to reach out to as many public library trustees and boards as possible Be a conduit for information to and from trustees and CLA regarding issues of concern to trustees Be a conduit for information to and from trustees and CLA regarding issues of concern to trustees Seek information on best practices that can be shared between trustees and boards Investigate and encourage the training of library trustees Although the Network has existed in principle since 2011, the Trustee Network held its first meeting this year at the CLA annual conference, which took place in Winnipeg this past May. Those members who were able to attend the meeting in person or by teleconference appreciated the chance to share their stories and challenges in person. They discovered that there was a need both for more time to meet and discuss issues, and for there to be more conference sessions that would appeal to trustees and library board members. As someone pointed out at that meeting, with the elimination of the Divisions within CLA, there was no general voice left within the Association for public libraries, and that we needed to step up and be that voice. The Network was also seen as the place where people could compare notes about what is happening in other parts of the country, as there is currently no other national trustee group or association. The group also agreed to the development of an Activity Plan for the Network, which would help provide some focus, since a group that has no formal governance structure needs some issues on which to centre its attention. Some highlights of that proposed Activity Plan, for the period of this summer through to June of 2014, include: maintaining the ongoing updates from the Network moderator; developing an electronic newsletter; holding two teleconference meetings to discuss specific issues (tentatively identified as How to make the most of your Friends of the Library and How to convince politicians of all types to maintain and improve library funding ); holding another, longer meeting at the next CLA annual conference (in Victoria, BC for 2014); and doing our best continued on page 16 15

16 Ontario Library Boards Association Connecting Canada s Library Trustees...continued from page 15 to reach out to library trustees across the country to let them know the Network exists and encourage them to join. One conclusion that emerged from the Winnipeg meeting in May is that all library trustees and their boards across Canada face similar issues, including funding; public support; the challenges of multiplying media coupled with shrinking budgets; and the need for good training for board members. It was wonderful to hear not only what issues people faced, but how many boards had successfully dealt with them and found creative ways to make their libraries true community touchstones. We hope that you may also be interested in joining us and sharing your stories. The Trustee Network is actively seeking new members, from every size of library board and from every part of the country, and would welcome more participation directly from members of OLBA. You do not have to be a member of CLA in order to participate. You can either contact the CLA office (membership@cla.ca) or the Network Moderator to be added to the list and receive our regular updates and communications. We also have a website with blog news if you would like to see what we have been doing so far. n Contact Information: Current Network Moderator: Carol Rigby Website: cla.trustee.network@gmail.com OPLA Community-Led Libraries Committee Jesse Roberts OPLA Councillor, Northwestern Ontario Region in their own communities. An example of a communityled activity can be found at the Thunder Bay Public Library, where the local Indian Friendship Centre provides the Turtle Island Tales aboriginal story time sessions. The Community-Led Library is a service philosophy that is devoted to the involvement of communities (municipal, groups, individuals, and organizations) in the future development of public libraries across not only Ontario but all of Canada. A community-led service philosophy takes the library beyond its building(s) and pushes it to create connections, foster relationships, understand needs, and strengthen communities. This idea of community involvement is not new to the public library by any stretch, but with growing bodies of literature and operational evidence it is becoming a more viable strategic platform. At this time, a long standing and vital component in community-led libraries in Ontario are the public library boards. Made up of community members and invested stakeholders, the boards provide guidance and constructive feedback on a regular basis. One of the first iterations of this philosophy began in 2004 with the Working Together Project: Library-Community Connections (a joint venture between Vancouver, Regina, Toronto, and Halifax Public Libraries). Edmonton Public Library published a Community-Led Service Philosophy Toolkit in 2010, and many other libraries are following suit In February 2013, the Ontario Public Library Association (OPLA) Council met with Laura Lukasik, Manager of Partnerships & Outreach for the Hamilton Public Library. At that time Laura proposed the formation of a Community-Led Libraries (CLL) Committee within the portfolio of the OPLA Council. That proposal was met with unanimous approval and work began to recruit committee members and draft a Terms of Reference. The committee will consist of five to eight OPLA members representing small, medium, and large library systems as well as northern and aboriginal interests. The CLL Committee will strive to develop a vision and set of best practices for Ontario public library systems to engage their communities and develop a set of criteria to effectively measure those efforts. Community Led-Library themes will be present throughout the 2014 OLA Super Conference so keep an eye on the OLA website for more information. n 16

17 Inside OLBA Fall 2013 Important announcements CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: James Bain Medallion CALL FOR NOMINATIONS: Vacancies on OLBA Council The James Bain Medallion is awarded annually to a Public Library Board Member who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the governance of a public library in Ontario. This annual, province-wide award recognizes and honours the best contributions and efforts of those board members who govern Ontario s public libraries. For all the information on the criteria and the process to honour one of your peers, please go to the following webpage: James Bain Medallion Criteria and Nomination DON T DELAY, NOMINATE TODAY! Closing Date for Nominations is Nov Is Your Board Developing AODA Policies? If so, you might find this guide useful. It s published by Access Ontario and contains guides, templates and much more for organizations needing to comply with AODA Standards. Working with OLBA Council is a rewarding experience; as a representative for the Public Library Boards in your specific region, you will also be sharing your expertise in library leadership and governance while working with others from across the Province to develop the tools, resources and publications for the education and professional development of Ontario s Public Library Board Members. Currently, OLBA Council has vacancies for the following positions: The Vice President of OLBA (who is also the Council President-Elect); The South West Ontario Regional Representative; and The Central West Ontario Regional Representative. A solid background in library leadership, a willingness to learn and a desire to communicate the need for good governance practices to Provincial library leaders, are some of the desirable attributes needed to fill these positions. OLBA councillors who are Regional Representatives, meet four times a year. The Vice President is also required to attend an additional four meetings while serving on the Board of OLA, and to attend Super Conference. All of these meetings take place in Toronto. Are you, or someone you know, willing and able to fill these positions? If so, further information on the nomination process may be found by clicking on the following link: Nomination and Election Process DON T DELAY, NOMINATE TODAY! Closing Date for Nominations is Nov. 15,

18 Ontario Library Boards Association Council 2013 EXECUTIVE Kim Vares OLBA President 2013 Dryden Public Library Board COUNCILLORS Rick Smith Councillor North-Eastern Region North Bay Public Library Board com InsideOLBA Ontario Library Boards Association A division of the Ontario Library Association, 2 Toronto Street, 3rd Floor Toronto, M5C 2B or toll free InsideOLBA describes the decisions and activities of OLBA leadership, explains OLBA program and provides news about Ontario s public library boards. Don D. Lynch Vice-President/ President-Elect Six Nations Public Library Board don2852@gmail.com Frances Ryan Past President Sault Ste Marie Public Library Board fryan@shaw.ca Lynn Humfress-Trute OLBA Treasurer Councillor: SW Region, Middlesex County Public Library Board trute@execulink.com Pierre Mercier Councillor Eastern Region Leeds & Thousand Islands PL Board pierremercier0122@ gmail.com Lisa Csele Councillor Mid-Central Region Oakville Public Library Board lcsele@accessola.com Helen Kaluzny Councillor Central West Region 2013 Waterloo Public Library Board hkaluzny.wpl@gmail. com Distributed two times per year. Also available on the OLBA website. Editorial team for this edition: Don Lynch, Lisa Csele, and Lynn Humfress-Trute OLA Designworks: Annesha Hutchinson Copyright, 2013 Ontario Library Association All rights reserved OLBA COUNCIL MEETINGS Next meeting: November 23, 2013 OLBA WEBSITE OLBA LISTSERV olba-l@accessola.com Subscribing required; for OLBA members only. Beth Phieffer OLBA Secretary Councillor: Central East Region, Belleville Public Library Board bphieffer@sympatico.ca Carol Grieve Councillor Central North West Region Thunder Bay Public Library Board carolegrieve@shaw.ca 18