Please consider joining the Federation!
CFLA-FCAB has been busy up until now with some of the more mechanical aspects of forming an association of associations: drafting by-laws; completing papers for incorporation as a not-for-profit; developing a contract and hiring a Senior Project Executive; identifying gaps for library advocacy in Canada; consulting with the founding member associations, non-members, ALA, and international associations such as IFLA to determine national obligations; developing communication channels via the website and social networking; and liaising with former members of CLA and other Canadian associations regarding the continuation of initiatives previously led by CLA.
Now we are embarking on the most important phase of development, reaching out to all library associations in Canada with invitations to join the Federation.
Membership is open to any library association in Canada, and membership fees are designed to ensure there is no financial barrier to membership. An individual may be represented with the Federation through their provincial or regional library association, and they may also be represented by a national association specific to a particular type of library. There are many national issues for which the Federation intends to provide leadership, advocacy, and vision, and many perspectives to include. Membership of as many Canadian library associations as possible will broaden the perspective the Federation communicates to policy makers and strengthen our voice.
To learn more about the Federation, please see the information here or contact Kevin Brennan at kbrennan@cfla-fcab.ca.
October is Canadian Library Month!
Each year, libraries are celebrated in Canada during Canadian Library Month. In past years, this has included the development of thematic art-work and programming. The Ontario Library Association has created bookmarks, posters and graphics for Ontario Public Library Week. These graphics have been modified for use across the country for Canadian Library Month (CLM).
Here’s what you need to know:
CLM materials use a tagline that has been created for Ontario’s public libraries through research within various communities. If you choose to use these materials, please review this webinar recording of the tagline launch to understand the tagline usage guidelines. Please also let Annesha (contact details below) at OLA know if you do choose to use the tagline so that we can track uptake.
- View Canadian Library Month graphics (posters, bookmarks, postcards, social media images, and more)
- Contact the OLA Communications department (communications@accessola.com) if you require additional file formats (.EPS, JPEG, .AI available).
The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL), Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS), Ontario Library Service – North (OLS-North) and the Ontario Library Association (OLA) kicked off a three-year marketing effort to drive new relevance with the general public. Core to that effort was the development of a new marketing tagline “A Visit Will Get You Thinking.” This hard-working tagline will be used to unite and complement marketing and outreach efforts of all Ontario public libraries during Ontario Public Library Week and beyond.
Don’t forget that October 21st has been declared Canadian Library Workers Day. More ideas for supporting this event will be posted at cfla-fcab.ca soon.
Guidelines and Position Statements
The Federation Board has reviewed the existing CLA guidelines and position statements, and is finalizing an agreement to transfer copyright from CLA. We have also reviewed guidelines that were completed but not published by CLA prior to its dissolution.
In October, we will begin the process of formal adoption of these documents by CFLA-FCAB. This will include publication to our website and translation of the adopted guidelines and position statements into French. We will be asking you for you feedback on the guidelines and position statements with the goal of approving those at the AGM in February. After that we will be establishing a review process to ensure that all guidelines and position statements are kept current.
Representing Canada’s Library Community Internationally
- IFLA: The Federation is now active as a member of IFLA and will be working with other associations and organizations in Canada to secure Canadian representation on key committees.
- WIPO: We have notified WIPO of the dissolution of CLA and the Federation has applied for membership.
Priority Intake Forms
Thank you to everyone who reached out to us and submitted a Priority Intake Form. The Board has reviewed and assessed the programs that were recommended based on our mandate. We will be reaching out to everyone who contacted us in October regarding next steps.
Update on Federation Committees
There are two committees in place to move initiatives forward, as outlined by the Interim Board. The terms of reference for the Truth and Reconciliation Committee and the Copyright Committee have been approved by the Federation Board and can be downloaded from CFLA-FCAB.ca.
The Truth and Reconciliation Committee will be chaired by Camille Callison. We would like to thank everyone who has expressed interest in joining this committee. We are currently finalizing the membership list and the committee will begin meeting shortly.
We will have more information for you regarding the Copyright Committee in October, as well as other advisory groups that will be established based on our review of the Priority Intake Forms.
CLA Networks
We’ve recieved a number of questions regarding the status of CLA Networks and whether CFLA-FCAB will be supporting them in the future. The Federation appreciates the value that CLAs networks brought to the library community in Canada. However, the Federation’s mandate is more focused than the Canadian Library Association, and with that increased focus and given our budget in our inaugural year, we will not be taking over all of the programs that CLA offered in the past. We are evaluating those programs on a case-by-case basis.In general, the programs most likely to be adopted by the Federation are those which:
- Address policy issues with a national or international scope;
- Have implications for multiple library sectors; and
- Cannot be effectively addressed by an existing association acting alone.
Reminder about Book Awards Collections
Just a reminder that a call has gone out to find a new home for the Canadian Library Association Book Awards Collection – please contact Kevin Brennan (kbrennan@cfla-fcab.ca) for more information.