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.

Approval: Sandy Gill, 2022. Statutory: No