Board Policies

Library Board

Library Board Code of Conduct

The Board acknowledges that all Board Members acting on behalf of the Library share certain ethical and legal responsibilities, including:

Conducting Library business in compliance with applicable legislation, bylaws, and regulations.
Treating all Library staff, patrons, and stakeholders in an honest and fair manner.
Declaring situations where personal interests are, or may be perceived to be, in conflict with the Library’s interests and/or may result in personal gain.
Safeguarding and properly using the Library’s proprietary and confidential information, including that of its patrons, community, and business partners, and its assets and resources.
Becoming familiar with and conducting themselves in compliance with specific expectations and responsibilities as outlined in Library’s internal documents, such as the Board Governance Bylaw, Administrative Policies, the Employee Standards of Conduct Handbook, the signed Collective Agreement between the Board and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1169, the signed Terms of Agreement between the Board and the Management and Administrative Support Staff Association (MASSA), and other documentation, as is relevant to their roles.

Approval: Janet Hutchinson, 2015. Statutory: No.

Conflict of Interest

Board Members must be open, honest, and transparent in the work we do. Where there might be a conflict between our personal interests and those of the Library, Board Members are required to disclose that fact immediately and seek further guidance. Board Members must abide by the law and organizational policies. Board Members shall regulate activities so as to remain free of interests or relationships which are, or have the appearance of being, harmful or detrimental to the Calgary Public Library, or are in conflict with the Library’s best interests.

Approval: Avnish Mehta, 2020. Statutory: No

Board Orientation and Education

The Board recognizes the importance of having informed Board Members. To ensure this, the Board must provide a comprehensive orientation program for all new Board Members.

The Board encourages skill development of its Board Members and provides, within available resources, institutional memberships in key library organizations and financial support for attendance at library conferences and relevant workshops, including reimbursement of registration fees and of travel and accommodations expenses. Entitlement for financial support for these activities requires the approval of the Board Chair or Vice-Chair.

Approval: Avnish Mehta, 2020. Statutory: Yes.

Liability Insurance for Board Members

The Library will maintain appropriate insurance for its Board Members.

Approval: Avnish Mehta, 2020. Statutory: No.

Expenses

The Board is a volunteer board and does not offer compensation for service. However, in order to ensure that service on the Board is available to all members of the community, the Library will pay for reasonable expenses incurred when Board Members attend Board and Board Committee meetings, represent the Library at community functions, and attend learning and development activities, when those functions and activities have been authorized by the Board Chair or Vice-Chair.

Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

Parking
Tickets to community functions and events
Travel to out-of-Calgary learning and development events, including conferences
Meals and accommodation when attending learning and development activities
Other expenses related to fulfilling Board duties authorized by the Board Chair or Vice-Chair

Receipts must accompany claims for reimbursement.

Approval: Avnish Mehta, 2020. Statutory: Yes.

Equity and Belonging

Calgary Public Library values and prioritizes equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility for all. The Library is committed to ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in library spaces and have fair and equitable access to library services regardless of ancestry, place of origin, race, education, income or source of income, religious beliefs, family status, marital status, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or physical or mental disabilities.

Calgary Public Library endorses the Canadian Federation of Library Associations’ Position Statement on Diversity and Inclusion and is a signatory on both the Urban Libraries Council Statement on Race and Social Equity and the Canadian Urban Libraries Council Statement on Race and Social Equity.

The Board recognizes that meaningful progress in this area requires a personal and collective commitment. Achieving transformational internal and external changes needs collaborative action to support and celebrate the diversity of experience, knowledge, and skills at the Library.

The Board endorses the Calgary Public Library’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Commitment Statement.

Definitions:

Accessibility – the degree to which a space or service is available.

Diversity – all the ways in which people differ and how that is represented in spaces and services.

Inclusion – the act of transforming systems and structures to ensure that all individuals are welcomed, supported, respected, and valued, and that barriers to contribution are removed.

Equity – fair treatment, access, and opportunities ensure that everyone is provided with an opportunity to succeed and grow.

Belonging – the feeling of being able to bring one’s whole self to a place or situation, to be seen and heard and connected to a shared purpose with both the people and the environment around them.

Public Attendance and Presentation at Library Board Meetings

Everyone has a right to be present at Calgary Public Library (Library) Board public meetings whether in person at in person meetings, or virtually for virtual gatherings.

Pursuant to the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP) and Regulations, the Library Board may hold a portion of a meeting in the absence of the public (in-camera) only if the subject matter being considered is:

the security of the property of the Library;
personal information of an individual including (1) an employee of the Library, (2) a Board Member, or (3) potential individuals currently under consideration for those posts;
proposed or pending acquisition of property by or for the Library;
labour relations or employee negotiations;
a law enforcement matter, litigation or potential litigation, including matters before administrative tribunals affecting the Library; or
the consideration of a request for access to information under FOIPP for the purposes of FOIPP.

Public Attendance

Members of the public wishing to attend a Library Board Meeting are asked to contact board@calgarylibrary.ca by 5:00 p.m.one business day prior to the scheduled meeting.

Individuals are asked to sign in with Library staff before proceeding into the meeting. Drop-in attendance will be permitted, but attendees must sign in at the door before proceeding into the meeting. In situations where the Board Meeting is held virtually, individuals registered will receive a link prior to the meeting.

Board Meetings are not public hearings and there will not be an opportunity for members of the public to comment on proceedings or speak to attendees during the meeting unless a request to present has been approved in advance.

The Board Chair will have the discretion to change the meeting location if attendance exceeds the scheduled room’s seating capacity.

Public Presentations at In-Person Meetings

If a member of the public wishes to make a presentation to the Library Board pertaining to matters within the Board’s governance jurisdiction, they are required to give written notice to board@calgarylibrary.ca 5 days in advance of the meeting they wish to attend.

A request to present must:

Include the name, address, telephone number, and email address of the individual or organization wishing to address the Board;
Provide an outline of the presentation topic and all relevant documentation; and
Be received prior to the noted deadline.

The Chair may agree to schedule the presentation on the agenda of the next Board meeting or another regular meeting of the Board. The Chair may refer matters of Library administration or operations to the Chief Executive Officer.

The Chair may waive the above requirements if, in the Chair’s opinion, there were extenuating circumstances or the presentation would no longer be relevant if made at a future meeting of the Board.

If a member of the public is unable to attend a meeting, they may submit a written submission to board@calgarylibrary.ca. The approval process for written submissions to be presented at the Board Meeting will follow the procedures and deadlines for presentations.

Presentations by individuals or groups will be limited to 5 minutes per issue or matter. This time may be reduced or extended at the discretion of the Board Chair.

Presentations from groups or organizations shall have no more than three speakers and the number of speakers does not affect the total time limit for presentation. The maximum amount of time for public presentations will be 20 minutes per Board meeting.

Board members will not respond to public presentations at the time they are made. As required, the Library Board will respond to the presentation in writing within two weeks of the presentation.

Please note that any written or verbal submissions (including individual name but excluding personal contact information) will form part of the public record and will be made available to the public.

Conduct of Presenters and Public Attendees

Each member of the public shall be expected to conduct themselves according to all applicable Board Policies and the Library’s regarding their attendance and conduct at Board Meetings.

Any individual making a presentation to the Library Board shall:

Only speak on the subject(s) for which they have received approval;
Obey the rules of procedure and any decision of the Chair;
Refrain from using offensive language;
Refrain from speaking disrespectfully of another person

Failure to abide by these rules is grounds for the Chair to conclude or curtail a presentation. If the Chair rules that the presentation is concluded, the person or persons appearing before the Library Board shall immediately withdraw.

Policy Administration

The Library Board authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to establish procedures to administer this policy.

Approval: Andrew Rodych, 2023. Statutory: No