VI. PORT MOODY PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD OPERATION

(Adopted: March 12, 1987; Revised: February 10, 2009)

1. The Port Moody Public Library operates according to the Library Act of British Columbia.

2. The Port Moody Public Library is governed by a Library Board constituted according to the terms of the Library Act of British Columbia.

3. The Port Moody Public Library Board determines and adopts policies governing the services and operation of the Library.

4. The Port Moody Public Library Board determines the role of the Library and secures adequate funding to carry out approved goals and objectives.

5. The Port Moody Public Library Board has exclusive control of funds provided for Library purposes from the City’s general revenue, and of all money granted, donated or bequeathed to the Board. The board has control over revenue derived from fees (including non-resident fees), fines and charges due to the damage or loss of books belonging to or in the custody of the Library. Revenue generated from fundraising efforts remains with the Port Moody Public Library board.

6. The Chief Librarian is appointed by and reports to the Port Moody Public Library Board.

7. The Chief Librarian is accountable to the Port Moody Public Library Board for planning and recommending effective and efficient ways to meet community needs for Library service and for directing the activities of all departments to ensure that Library service is provided in accordance with Library Board policies and directives.

8. The Chief Librarian shall be designated as the Head for the purposes of the Freedom of Information Privacy Act. He/she will work in consultation with the City Clerk.

B. APPOINTMENTS

Board appointments are in accordance to the Library Act Part 2, Section 5.

1. Regular appointments to the Library Board shall be made each December at the first regular meeting of the Municipal Council.

2. The Library Board will consist of an uneven number of members, not fewer than five or more than thirteen, selected as follows:

(a) One from the municipal council.

(b) The remainder from people who are residents or electors of the City of Port Moody and who are not members of the municipal council or employees of the municipality or Library Board.

3. The member appointed from Municipal Council shall hold office for one year, or for the remainder of the year during which he/she is appointed and that member is eligible for reappointment.

4. Before selecting anyone under section 2 (b), the municipal council must invite applications for membership by publishing a notice in the newspaper.

5. A vacancy arising during the term of an appointment is to be filled, for the remainder of the term, by an appointment made at the first meeting of the municipal council after the vacancy occurs or as soon as convenient.

6. Upon appointment to the Board, trustees shall receive materials relating to the policies and administration of Port Moody Public Library together with background material concerning library trusteeship. Trustees will receive reports, minutes, and policy statements from time to time. Upon termination of office, trustees must return items of a confidential nature, unpublished plans and policy manuals.

7. Library board members serve without remuneration but may be paid travel and other expenses that are incurred in connection with their duties and are approved by the board.

C. TERM OF OFFICE

1. The member appointed to the Library Board from municipal council holds office for one year, or for the remainder of the year for which the appointment is made.

2. Members appointed under A.2(b) hold office for a term of two years.

3. All subsequent regular appointments under 2 (b) are for terms of 2 years.

4. A member is eligible for reappointment, but no member may serve for more than 8 consecutive years.

5. The term of office for a member continues until a successor is appointed unless the member is removed for cause.

6. On receiving a report from the Library Board, the municipal council may remove a member of the Library Board for cause, including if the member:

a) fails to attend 3 consecutive regular meetings of the Library Board without its written approval.

b) becomes an employee of the municipality of the Library Board, or

c) ceases to be a resident or elector of the community.

7. Any vacancy on the Library Board arising from any cause other than the expiration of the term for which the member was appointed shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term only.

D. MEETINGS

1. Inaugural Meeting

a) The Inaugural Meeting normally occurs at the first scheduled Board meeting of the year, or at the first scheduled meeting following the appointment of new members of the Board for the current term.

b) The Chair calls the meeting to order and conducts the meeting. If the Chair is planning to seek re-election, he/she will step aside until the elections are over and the Chief Librarian will conduct the elections. If the Chair is not running again, he/she will run the meeting until the new Chair is elected.

c) Nominations will be accepted from the floor.

d) Consent of the nominee, in person or in writing, is required.

e) All votes will be conducted by a secret ballot. In the event that only one nomination is received for a position, that individual will be declared elected by acclamation.

f) The Chair shall be elected by the Board members present by majority vote. The Chair serves until the next Inaugural Meeting and is eligible for re-election.

g) Following the election of the Chair, the Board members present shall elect a Vice-Chair by majority vote. The Vice-Chair serves until the next Inaugural Meeting and is eligible for re-election.

h) Committee members shall be appointed by the Board Chair. All Board members including the Council representative shall serve on a committee.

i) To accommodate succession, the intent is that the position of Vice-Chair will succeed to the position of Chair dependent upon the results of an election.

2. Standard practice for Port Moody Library Trustees is to meet once per month, except during July and August.

3. Port Moody Public Library Board regular meetings are open to the public.

4. The Board reserves the right to schedule in-camera meetings and agenda items as may be required.

5. The Chair shall vote and shall have the same rights and be subject to the same rules for participation and debate as other board members.(see Chapter XIII – Voting Roberts Rules of Order. Revised; the chair can vote – but is not obliged to – whenever his/her vote will affect the result – e.g. break a tie or when 2/3 votes are needed).

6. The Chair may vacate the position of Chair for the purposes of debate only. In this case, the Vice-Chair or, if absent, another board member shall take the Chair pro tem. (See section 43 Roberts Rules; rules governing debate – Chair’s participation; this is rare but there may be times that the Chair wants his opinions heard; vice chair usually takes over)

7. The Chair shall be an ex-officio of all committees.

8. If the Chair is not present at meeting of the Board, the Vice-Chair has all the powers of the Chair and is subject to all rules applicable to the Chair.

9. If neither Chair nor Vice-Chair is present at a meeting of the Library Board, the members present may elect an Acting Chair who has, during the meeting, all the powers of the Chair and is subject to all rules applicable to the Chair.

10. In the event that the office of Vice-Chair is declared vacant, the board shall elect a new Vice-Chair from among its members by majority vote. The person shall serve the remainder of the term and shall be eligible for re-election.

11. Reports, petitions and other submissions by the public to the Board must be submitted to the Chief Librarian or in writing not less than seven (7) days prior to the regular monthly meetings of the Board.

12. The Chair or any two members may call a Special Meeting to deal with any matter, by notifying in writing, the other members with at least two days’ notice specifying the purpose of the meeting.

13. Should a Board decision be required and it is not possible to call a meeting, the Chair may conduct a poll of the Board by telephone or electronic mail in order to arrive at the decision. The decision shall be ratified at the next Board meeting.

14. The agenda for each meeting shall be prepared by the Chief Librarian in consultation with the Chair. The Chief Librarian shall ensure that copies of the agenda are delivered to each Board member and appropriate staff so that they are received at least three days before the meeting time. Copies of the agenda will also be distributed to the City Clerk’s Office for posting at City Hall, will be posted on the Library website, and will be made available to the general public as required.

15. Minutes of the proceedings shall be recorded and distributed to each Board member with the agenda for the next regular meeting, and after any necessary amendments and approval by the Board, a copy shall be filed and the approved Minutes will be posted in the library and on the Library’s website.

16. Meeting Procedures

a) A quorum of the Board shall be a majority of all its members. If there is no quorum present after half an hour from the appointed meeting time, the Chair may convene a meeting of the Committee of the Whole. This Committee shall follow the agenda and shall ratify any decisions taken at the next meeting of the Board.

b) If there is a quorum present at the time the meeting should be called to order and if the Chair and Vice-Chair are absent, the Chief Librarian shall call the meeting to order and a Chair Pro Tem shall be chosen by a resolution of the meeting.

c) Decision shall be by majority vote of those members present and voting.

d) No motion passed by any Board shall be rescinded during the Board’s term of office except by a two-thirds vote of the entire Board. The Board’s term of office shall be from Inaugural Meeting to Inaugural Meeting.

e) New Business shall be considered as business not on the agenda. Any member desiring to bring before the Board any new matter requiring a decision at that meeting, other than a point of order or privilege, shall do so by way of a motion. If any member present at the time of the motion and before debate begins calls for a “Notice of Motion”, then the motion shall be ordered to be placed on the agenda of the next meeting of the Board.

f) Any member may present “notice” of a motion to be placed on the agenda of the next meeting and it shall appear in the minutes of the meeting as a “Notice of Motion” and be duly placed on the agenda of the next regular meeting of the Board.

g) Any rule of procedure under this policy may be suspended during the meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.

h) When any matter relating to procedures arises in a Board meeting that is not covered by this policy, the matter shall be decided by reference to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.

17. Conflict of Interest

a) A board member who has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a matter considered at a meeting

· must declare that he or she has a pecuniary interest in the matter

· must not take part in the discussion and is not entitled to vote on any question respecting the matter

· must leave the meeting, and

· must not attempt in any way, whether before, during or after the meeting, to influence the voting on any question respecting the matter

b) 17a) does not apply

· if the matter relates to expenses payable to one or more members of the library board in relation to their duties as members, or

· if the pecuniary interest is so remote or insignificant that it cannot reasonably be regarded as likely to influence the member in relation to the matter

c) A person who contravenes 17a) is disqualified from continuing to hold office as a member of the library board unless the contravention was done through inadvertence or because of an error in judgment made in good faith.

18. In-Camera Meetings

a) The Board may hold an in camera meeting only if the subject matter being considered is:

· The security of the Library

· Personal information of an individual including an employee of the Library

· Proposed or pending property acquisition

· Labour relations or negotiations

· Litigation, potential litigation or other legal matters

· Any matter that would cause financial or economic harm to the Library, or to the relationship between the Library and the government or other public bodies.

b) A motion to move in camera shall include the reason for holding the meeting in camera.

c) Minutes of the in camera meeting shall be available only to the Chief Librarian and members of the Board, subject to the provisions of the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act.

19. Delegations to Board Meetings

a) Any person or organization wishing to appear as a delegation before the Library Board shall submit a written request to the attention of the Secretary of the Board (Chief Librarian) not less than ten (10) days prior to the regular monthly meeting of the Library Board. The request must indicate the subject matter and particulars upon which the delegation wishes to make the presentation.

b) Late submissions will not be accepted unless otherwise determined by the Chair of the Board.

c) The Library Board reserves the right to refuse a request for delegation appearance.

d) Upon approval, the delegation shall be allotted ten minutes to make a presentation, with additional time for board members to ask questions. Board members reserve the right to decide on any follow up as a result of the delegation at a future board meeting (or the following board meeting?).

E. COMMITTEES

1. General

a) No later than the February meeting of the Library Board, the Chair shall appoint from among Board members: an InterLink representative; Board committee members; and Board committee chairs. In making these appointments, the Chair shall consider the preferences of individual Board members.

b) The Board Chair, Vice Chair and Chief Librarian shall be ex-officio members of all committees.

c) All committee recommendations shall be brought to the full Board for discussion and approval.

d) The Board shall have two standing committees: Planning & Policy Development; and Community Relations & Resource Development. Issues outside of the mandates of these committees shall be dealt with by the Board as a Whole or through a task force. The exception is the Chief Librarian’s annual performance review, which will be the responsibility of a committee consisting of the Board Chair, Vice Chair and one other Board member appointed by the Chair.

2. InterLINK Representative

No later than the February meeting of the Library Board, the Chair of the Library Board shall appoint an InterLINK Board Representative and an alternate. The InterLINK Board representative shall:

· Represent the Port Moody Public Library at the InterLINK Board.

· Ensure the Library Board maintains active participation in InterLINK affairs consistent with PMPL purpose, goals and objectives.

· Maintain liaison with Chief Librarian.

· Report to Library Board as required.

· The alternate will represent the Board in the absence of the regular representative. The alternate is encouraged to attend meetings of the InterLINK Board along with the regular member, however the status of the alternate on these occasions is that of an observer.

3. Planning & Policy Development Committee

Purpose

Ensures that the Board has a short and long term plan for library service development, and that community needs are regularly assessed. Responsible for the coordination, implementation and communication of the Library’s strategic planning and development process. Initiates, receives and reviews policy proposals (except those related to Community Relations & Resource Development) and makes recommendations to the Board as to their disposition.

Responsibilities

· Assesses and identifies community needs for library service among various market segments.

· Develops goals and objectives to meet expressed community needs; recommends these to Library Board.

· Ensures optimum community access to library services and resources.

· Develops and maintains plans for short and long term growth of library service; makes recommendations to Board for their implementation. This includes ongoing coordination and development of the Library’s strategic plan.

· Identifies areas and reviews proposals for new policy development.

· Revises existing Board policies to reflect changing circumstances and new Board directions.

· Reviews and responds to suggestions, complaints and requests from the community relating to current policy or policy change.

· Carries out initiatives related to Board development, as outlined in the Library’s strategic plan. This includes issues related to Board structure and governance as well as to trustee roles, responsibilities and education.

4. Community Relations & Resource Development Committee

Purpose

Aims to strengthen community and government support and awareness of the services and value of the library through initiatives related to advocacy, partnerships, cooperation, marketing and funding. Establishes and maintains effective relationships with all levels of government, external agencies and the general public in order to promote a positive image of the library. Acts as an advisory committee to the Library Board and Chief Librarian regarding all matters of fundraising and new revenue generation. Initiates, receives and reviews policy proposals directly related to community relations and resource development and makes recommendations to the Board as to their disposition.

Responsibilities

· Works with the Chief Librarian to develop strategies for increasing public awareness of/support for the Library’s mission, roles and values as well as its services and resources.

· Prepares and presents fund-raising plans and revenue generation initiatives to the Board for review.

· Implements approved fund-raising activities and evaluates the effectiveness of the fundraising program.

· Develops and maintains community involvement in Library fundraising activities, including liaison with community based fundraising groups.

· Works with Chief Librarian to develop strategy for partnering/cooperating with other agencies.

· Prepares & implements the Board’s strategy for advocacy.

· Maintains liaison with City Council.

· Initiates policies related to “support and awareness” and “partnerships and cooperation” as defined in the Library’s Strategic Plan.

F. ALLOWANCES AND REIMBURSEMENTS

1. Allowances for attending authorized meetings, seminars, conventions, conferences and other businesses, are identical to those in place and administered by the City of Port Moody at the time.

2. There is no reimbursement to trustees when funds are available from other sources.

3. Estimates of expenses should be submitted for pre-authorization by Board resolution.

4. For in-service training of its trustees the Board budgets an amount equal to that for its staff.

5. A list of members of the Library Board with their addresses and phone numbers will be posted in a prominent place for the information of the public.

G. BOARD POWERS AND DUTIES

The Port Moody Public Library Board has certain powers and duties as per the Library Act (Part 2, Section 9).

H. BOARD RECOGNITION

Trustees who have resigned from the board shall receive a framed certificate from the Mayor recognizing their efforts.

Trustees who have served for eight continuous years shall receive a gift and a framed certificate from the Mayor recognizing their efforts.

Trustees who have served as board chair shall receive a gift and certificate from the Mayor recognizing their efforts.