Transition to a Municipal Board

Hi everyone,

On June 19th at 7pm, the Tumbler Ridge Public Library will be having a special meeting.  The meeting will be to determine whether the library will transition from a library association to a municipal board run library.  Voting at the meeting is open to all library association members (anyone with a library card/account) who are in good standing as of June 12th.

You are *not* a member currently in good standing if any of the following apply.

• your account has expired
• your account has been suspended
• the total fines on your account exceed ten dollars
• you have lost books that have not been paid for

We encourage anyone who'd like to vote at the meeting to stop by the library before June 12th to ensure everything is in order with their account.

Here's the breakdown of what a transition to a municipal board run library will mean:

General

·         Library is governed by Library Act

·         Library is currently a Library Association

·         No Library Associations have been established since 1994 under the Library Act

·         Our Library Association must apply annually for a Grant-in-Aid

o   Funding is not guaranteed

·         District of TR has been the Library’s primary funder since 1985

·         Current Grant-in-Aid process seems to be a closer fit for the funding needs of smaller, one-time projects

·         Currently board members are elected within the Association

What will change

·         District of Tumbler Ridge will take formal responsibility for funding the Library annually

·         Library budget will be considered as part of the regular municipal budget process

·         District of Tumbler Ridge will appoint board members through an application process

What won’t change

·         Library remains a separate entity under the Library Act

·         Library employees will not necessarily become District employees

·         Board of Directors continues to oversee Library operations

·         Day-to-day Library service will continue as usual

·         Library will continue to operate as a registered charity

·         Library may still fundraise and apply for appropriate grants

What’s next

·         Vote on June 19^th, 2012 at 7pm regarding the motion to become a Municipal Board

o   A majority vote will consist of “at least ½ of the members present”

§  From the Library Act [RSBC 1996], Part 4, 42(1)

·         District will adopt a bylaw under section 3 of the Library Act to establish a municipal library

o   Association is dissolved at this time