Key Messages, March 2023

Key Messages Update
Type
Key Messages

Your BMPL Board is sharing these key messages from the March 16th Board Meeting.

Organizational Excellence

  • Board Training & Planning Session: The Board will be meeting on April 20th for a full day training and planning discussions at the Craigleith Community Centre. [OE1.4]
  • Budget Approved: The Board approved the BMPL Board budget for 2023. This document was another successful test of the TBM/BMPL Funding Agreement as it was a key aspect in the Board being able to approve a 2023 budget while looking forward to include funding needs of future years. The 2023 BMPL Budget is based on 6% of the 2022 TBM Tax Levy. [OE3.1]

Community Hubs

  • Craigleith Heritage Depot Renovation Update: The CHD is making progress, with much of the exterior completed. Doors were installed this week and final painting will happen when the weather allows, sometime by mid-April. The interior has received a full painting and the Museum Team is now working on cleaning in the building and restaging with new exhibits for a spring opening. The Board will be holding a Grand Re-Opening in June and will announce when the date is available. [CH2]
  • Naloxone Trained Staff: In response to the growing opioid crisis, both BMPL facilities now have Naloxone on site. These, our AEDs and First Aid/CPR Certified staff are additional ways that we can provide safe spaces to our community. [CH1]

Empowering Services

  • Biblio-Board Museum Virtual Collection Reaches All-Time High! The month of February saw the Virtual Museum receive 1208 views, which included 900 visits to the Walter Trier exhibit. CHD also supported the 2nd Annual Willi Winkles Day which occurred on March 4th. For those who missed the day, visit the Willi Winkles exhibit on the Virtual Museum. [ES.5]
  • The BMPL welcomes MPP Brian Saunderson: MPP Saunderson visited L.E. Shore for a tour of the facility. As our new MPP this was an opportunity to demonstrate how BMPL continues to exceed service expectations and talk about the needs of libraries across Ontario. [CH1.1]
  • Ontario Digital Public Library: The ODPL was a topic of much news reporting last week. The CEO explained to the Board that the ODPL is a way for all communities, including TBM to receive the same base unit of electronic resources (e-books, e-magazine, language programs etc), and to do so on a provincial buying power, which would save BMPL money and allow us to expand our current collections. This project is part of the provincial request by Ontario’s Public Libraries for the 2023-24 budget. [ES3]
  • BMPL CEO featured on TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin: Our CEO was one of four panelists featured in Is this the Era of the Library? Where libraries as community hubs, social infrastructure, and a first line of defense was discussed. [CH1.1]