Key Messages, November 2023

Organizational Excellence

• CEO Reception: All members of the community are invited to drop into a CEO Welcome Reception in the Gallery at L.E. Shore, Thursday, December 7^th between 1pm and 3pm. Help us welcome Jennifer Murley to the Town of the Blue Mountains and our GLAM!

• Board Evaluation:  The Board conducted their annual evaluation and reviewed the raw data of the annual survey. This process includes all members, their evaluation of themselves, the experience, the relationship with other Board Members, as well as the Chair and CEO. A report will be coming to the Board based in the evaluation at the January 2024 Board Meeting.

• BMPL Draft Budget: The Board approved the 2024 Budget based on the Funding Agreement between BMPL and TBM. Some highlights of this budget include the updating of new technology and computer stations at LES, which was a topic of discussion at Council at the November 30^th Special Council Meeting/Joint Meeting with the Board, as well as a new community history project and the subsequent release of the 10^th REEL History Film. This budget also allows for enough flexibility within the individual budget lines that the new CEO, Jennifer Murley, may evaluate and set priorities of programs and services for 2024.

• Election: As part of the regular November agenda, elections occurred for executive positions on the BMPL Board. The Board decided not to have standing committees, but rather to work as a whole on most initiatives. The Chair was acclaimed by Laurey Gillies and Vice Chair was acclaimed by Julia Scott.

• Bootcamp at OLA: Annually, the Ontario Library Association holds a conference for the members of the Board of Directors for public libraries in Ontario. This one day “Bootcamp” is an opportunity for training and networking between the library board members including a strong contingent of Council Representatives on the Library Board. Part of the Board Budget 2024 included the attendance and travel for members interested in attending this annual gathering.

• New Board Assembly Representative: Marie Swift of the BMPL Board was elected to the new position of Board Assembly Representative. As the Representative for the community, Marie will attend the semi-annual online meetings of Board Reps who are a like service size to BMPL. Since 2018 BMPL has been attending meetings designated for the size of our comprehensive community and not that of the smaller permanent resident. This puts BMPL in the 15,000-30,000 population meeting.

Community Hubs

• November 30^th Joint Meeting with Council: On November 30^th the BMPL Board presented the Needs Assessment and information in response to Council’s June 14^th requests. This and the original Needs Assessment and Space Plan demonstrate the growth of the community and need for expanded services. The Board requested to be closely involved in the Multi-Use Study being undertaken by TBM and Collingwood, where the Collingwood Public Library CEO has a seat at the decision-making table.

• Social Return on Investment: As presented at the Joint Meeting with Council on November 30^th, the new CEO will begin work on the Valuing Ontario Libraries Toolkit (VOLT), the updated social return on investment toolkit designed for Ontario use. This will use the 2023 comprehensive statistics and is expected to be presented in Spring 2024.

• Holiday Schedule: The Board reviewed the holiday schedule as it pertains to closures.

Empowering Services

• Youth Art Opening & Reception. The Gallery at L.E. Shore is hosting the artist works of many of our Beaver Valley Community School students. Magic of Children in the Arts is a partnership show between instructors from the MCA and the BVCS. The opening is Saturday, December 9th from 2-4pm and is a great way to start your Olde Fashioned Christmas activities.