Canadian Federation of Library Associations Update (September 2021)

September 23, 2021

The Canadian Federation of Library Associations (CFLA) has provided an overview of its activities.

CFLA-FCAB Member Update

September 2021

Dear Members:

Thank you for your continued support of the work of CFLA-FCAB during these difficult times. The Federation is proud to work on behalf of our 25 member associations, influencing public policy, advancing library excellence and raising the visibility of libraries in Canada to advance our national intellectual, social and cultural success.

With the departure of Executive Director Rebecca Raven at the end of June, the Board of Directors began a recruitment process to find a replacement. At the same time, the Board was engaged in conversations about the future stability of the organization in a landscape where many library associations are experiencing financial challenges and competing for scarce resources. Given the current landscape, we have decided to pause the Executive Director recruitment process while we seek expert advice on our operational and resource model going forward.

However, the work of CFLA-FCAB goes on, with operational stability provided by our Office Coordinator, Michael Rogowski, and by contractors such as our bookkeeper and Impact Public Affairs, our government relations firm. Our four strategic committees are all working hard, and we continue to advocate with the federal government, produce guidance for the library sector, and engage with our members and partners at all levels.

Board and Committee News

As previously announced, our Board of Directors is now complete with the appointment of Lorisia MacLeod as Indigenous Ancestry Representative. Lorisia has also been appointed Board Liaison to the Indigenous Matters Committee. At the same time, the Board is seeking a new Chair for this committee due to a recent resignation. A call for nominations will be issued shortly

Advocacy Activities

CFLA-FCAB’s Copyright Committee has been working closely with government officials on issues related to Crown Copyright and the CUSMA copyright extension, in addition to concerns surrounding new broadcasting regulations (BIll C-10). The Committee also worked with the Board on a recent statement on the Supreme Court decision in the York University dispute with Access Copyright.

CFLA-FCAB submitted a brief to the pre-budget consultations for the federal government, addressing issues of access to e-content, equitable access to reading materials for people with print disabilities, green infrastructure funding for libraries, and funding for LAC to respond to Access to Information requests. These issues also provided the basis for a set of Election Recommendations for members to use with federal candidates.

With the Intellectual Freedom Committee, CFLA-FCAB released a statement of support for libraries withstanding pressure to withdraw a particular controversial book. This statement has resulted in an open letter of dissent from a number of individuals in the Canadian library community. CFLA-FCAB has since produced an open response, reiterating its commitment to core library values and setting the stage for further dialogue.

Finally, CFLA-FCAB coordinated Canadian nominations for the IFLA elections, including the inaugural regional division for North America which features 10 Canadian members out of 20.

Thank you again for your support. Please do not hesitate to contact us at info@cfla-fcab.ca if you have any questions or concerns.

Todd Kyle
Chair

(Via Canadian Federation of Library Associations)