The FOPL Board decided to renew and revitalize our member input governance structures. The goals of these sub-units should align with our recently approved (Nov. 18, 2016) FOPL Strategic Plan 2016-2020. The strategic plan is included for your convenience.
Our goal was to create Working Groups. We sunsetted and thanked our Task Forces that have done great work for the past decade.
- ADVOCACY TASK FORCE
- MARKETING TASK FORCE
- RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT TASK FORCE
At our June 9, 2017 Board meeting we suggested four working groups and tasked the Executive Director to bring a discussion framework forward at our June 9, 2017 meeting. The goals is to align our member-driven Board working groups with the 2016-2020 FOPL Strategic Plan.
The following charters were adopted at our June 9, 2017 Board Meeting:
- Indigenous Library Partnerships Working Group
Mandate: All indigenous public libraries in Ontario are twinned with another non-indigenous public library for the purposes of potentially sharing knowledge, resources, and programming. The FOPL strategy to provide a forum for inter-library system cooperation and collaboration will be led and advised by a small team (this working group) that ensures progress and sharing.
Charter:
- To provide member-driven focus to our and CFLA’s (FOPL is a member) truth & reconciliation agenda to ensure the long term success of all public libraries in Ontario to serve Ontario residents
- To provide a forum for our First Nation public libraries and their sponsors / twinned libraries to collaborate
- To generate frameworks, ideas and track initiatives, and share and diffuse these ideas for adoption across Ontario.
Power:
- This group works through consensus. A majority of votes is needed to pass on reports or recommendations to the Board.
- The group can access mailing lists and the Facebook Group for communication at the FOPL office.
- A small budget will be put into each annual FOPL budget for the activities of the Working Group. Additional budget may be requested for special projects.
Reporting:
- This Working Group’s Chair report to the Board through the Executive Director.
- An Annual Report is prepared for the Board and the Annual Business Meeting.
Membership / Size:
- 6 members, half of whom should be from Indigenous library settings
- Plus the Executive Director as an ex-officio member
- Members serve for three years and may be appointed for another three at which point their term ends.
- Marketing and Communications Advisory Working Group
Mandate: Our goal as FOPL is to communicate the value and impact of public libraries. This working group will set up and build collaborative strategies and spaces for accomplishing this goal.
- Coordinate and assist in the implementation of strategic marketing for Ontario Public Libraries
- Be recognized as the trusted single voice of Ontario Public Libraries
- Inspire and mobilize the library community
- Develop and provide research to inform marketing initiatives
- Develop province-wide social media marketing campaign tools
- Pursue partnerships beyond traditional library partners such as AMO, school boards, vendors and media
- Collaborate to create consistent promotional messaging for use by Public Libraries
Charter: Our key initiative is the OpenMediaDesk social media strategy. As of this meeting we have coverage of a range of FOPL members representing almost 50% of Ontario’s population. We expect to continue this project for another year and are preparing for running it independently in year 3 and beyond. The entire group is managed through a number of virtual team tools and represents a significant training investment and huge improvement in the marketing capacity of Ontario’s libraries. The entire group is connected in a private Facebook Group. They will:
- Make progress on gaining more trained libraries across the province in a diverse action by size and focus of library.
- Increase momentum and address the key stories of value and impact.
- Align with FOPL’s government relations goals and strategies as well as improve the knowledge and perception of the PUBLIC in Ontario about public libraries.
Power:
- This group works through consensus. A majority of votes is needed to pass on reports or recommendations to the Board.
- A budget will be put into each annual FOPL budget for the activities of the Working Group and OpenMediaDesk. Additional budget may be requested for special projects.
Reporting:
- This Working Group’s Chair report to the Board through the Executive Director.
- An Annual Report is prepared for the Board and the Annual Business Meeting.
Membership / Size:
- 7 members (All trained OpenMediaDesk public library marketing focused professionals)
- Plus the Executive Director as an ex-officio member
- Members serve for three years and may be appointed for another three at which point their term ends.
- Government Relations Working Group
Mandate: Positively influence legislation and government initiatives impacting Ontario Libraries
- Build relationships with provincial elected officials and civil service to influence government policy and practices
- Collaborate with other library associations, organizations and agencies to lobby for public libraries in provincial political arena such as Library Day at Queen’s Park
- Support members’ libraries efforts in municipal government advocacy
- Support First Nations libraries with national and provincial advocacy
- Remain agile to enable timely response to emerging issues and opportunities
- Act as a conduit for government to supply information to Public Libraries
Charter: This committee will advise on 2018 provincial budget and election strategies. They support FOPL’s work with CFLA on national priorities. They will also support our initiatives including the 2017 Library Day at Queen’s Park, work with our lobbying firm on government relations initiatives, craft message and suggest new initiatives (AMO, ROMA, etc.). We may also plan an inter-ministerial summit again.
Power:
- This group works through consensus. A majority of votes is needed to pass on reports or recommendations to the Board.
- A small budget will be put into each annual FOPL budget for the activities of the Working Group. Additional budget may be requested for special projects.
Reporting:
- This Working Group’s Chair report to the Board through the Executive Director.
- An Annual Report is prepared for the Board and the Annual Business Meeting.
Membership / Size:
- 5 members
- Plus the Executive Director as an ex-officio member
- Members serve for three years and may be appointed for another three at which point their term ends.
- Library Provincial People Capacity Working Group
Mandate: Provide Ontario’s Public Libraries with professional training and development in the context of FOPL’s role and alliances.
- Coordinate training opportunities such as seminars, workshops, symposia, and webinars
- Collaborate in creation of trustee training tools
- Share expertise at professional conferences and events such as OLA Super Conference and Marketing Think Tank, Community Led ThinkTank, AILP, etc.
- Build consensus in the Ontario Public Library community
- Increase awareness of professional development grant and subsidy opportunities
Charter: In alliance, to ensure that the human resources capacity of our sector is prepared for the environment of 2020 and beyond.
Power:
- This group works through consensus. A majority of votes is needed to pass on reports or recommendations to the Board.
- A small budget will be put into each annual FOPL budget for the activities of the Working Group. Additional budget may be requested for special projects.
Reporting:
- This Working Group’s Chair reports to the Board through the Executive Director.
- An Annual Report is prepared for the Board and the Annual Business Meeting.
Membership / Size:
- 5 members
- Plus the Executive Director as an ex-officio member
- Members serve for three years and may be appointed for another three at which point their term ends.
In 2017, these groups were populated and at least one teleconference meeting was held and goals was brainstormed. Future meetings are planned and most groups are holding informal discussions at OLA Super Conference.
2017-2018 Working Group Membership is:
In 2017, these groups were populated and at least one teleconference meeting was held and goals was brainstormed. Future meetings are planned and most groups are holding informal discussions at OLA Super Conference.
2017-2018 Working Group Membership is:
| Melisssa Legacy | Bruce County Public Library | Government Relations | |
| Rona O’Banion | King Township Public Library | Government Relations | |
| Roxanne Toth-Rissanen | Sault Ste. Marie Public Library | Government Relations | |
| Mary Maw | Caledon Public Library | Marketing and Communications | |
| Lester Webb | Kingston-Frontenac Public Library | Marketing and Communications | |
| Ana-Maria Critchley | TPL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Mabel Ho | TPL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Kalli Secord | King City PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Brock Smith | Richmond Hill PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Melanie Alderfer-Mowat | Vaughan PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| James Clark | Brantford PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Jeff Bennett | Whitchurch/Stouffville PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Maureen McKillop | Blue Mountains PL | Marketing and Communications | |
| Andrea Cecchetto | Markham Public Library | Library Provincial People Capacity | |
| Craig Shufelt | Fort Erie Public Library | Library Provincial People Capacity | |
| Gary Price | Cambridge Idea Exchange | Library Provincial People Capacity | |
| Monika Machacek | East Gwillimbury Public Library | Library Provincial People Capacity | |
| Melanie Ribau | TPL | Indigenous Library Partnership | |
| Lynda-Lou Classens | Bkejwanong First Nation | Indigenous Library Partnership | |
| Sheri Mish | Wikwemikong FN | Indigenous Library Partnership | |
| Sabrina Saunders | Blue Mountains PL | Indigenous Library Partnership |
CELUPL
Chief Executives of Large Urban Public Libraries (Ontario)
President: Leslie Fitch Milton PL, Leslie.Fitch@mpl.on.ca
Secretary: Linda Kent, Clarington PL, lkent@clarington-library.on.ca