Canadian Federation of Library Associations Update (Spring 2023)

April 15, 2023

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

CFLA-FCAB Spring 2023 Update

Dear Members:

Thank you for your continued support of the work of CFLA-FCAB. The Federation is proud to work on behalf of our 25 member associations as 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 Committees News

At this year’s AGM, we elected a new board with two new board members: Tracey Therrien and Denis Chouinard for the BC and Quebéc representative respectively. The board also elected Mélanie Raymond as our new Francophone Representative after the AGM. We wish to welcome our newest board members and can’t wait to see what they bring to the board. For our executive committee, Lorisia MacLeod has continued as Board Chair, renewing her two year term as Indigenous Ancestry Representative, with Jessica Knoch stepping into Vice Chair Position. Andrea Cecchetto has continued her position as Treasurer and Ann Smith has stepped into the role of Secretary.

We are still recruiting for our Northern Representative, so if there is a member of the Yukon, North West Territories, Nunavut or any other northern provincial library association who is interested in joining our board, please let us know at info@cfla-fcab.ca.

Strategic Plan Task Force: last year a task force was established to review and assess some of the key accomplishments of CFLA-FCAB’s first Strategic Plan (2019-2022). We are now starting to plan our new plan for the period 2023-2027. The major components of the task force’s mandate will be to scan the CFLA-FCAB environment for issues and trends, survey member associations and produce a draft strategic plan to be tabled at the CFLA-FCAB’s 2023 AGM.

Committee Updates

Cataloguing and Metadata Standards Committee: The Cataloguing Code of Ethics Review Working Group (CCERWG) of the Cataloguing and Metadata Standards (CMSC) Committee is currently working on developing a survey to be sent out to the Canadian library community soliciting feedback on the Cataloguing Code of Ethics. The Code of Ethics was a joint project of ALA, CILIP and CFLA and the CCERWG is tasked with providing to CMSC a report upon which it will decide whether or not to recommend that the CFLA Board of Directors endorse the code. Members of CMSC have been assisting CCERWG members organize sessions at provincial and regional library association conferences to increase awareness of the Code of Ethics and the current review process.

Copyright Committee: The Committee prepared two substantive responses to government consultations, one for Online Intermediaries and another for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things. Working Groups of the Committee prepared a paper on Controlled Digital Lending, wrote an op-ed on Crown Copyright that generated immediate follow-up from Parliamentarians and officials, drafting a position paper on AI, and creating Canadian guidelines for conducting a reasonable search for accessible works. The Committee works with Impact Public Affairs to advance CFLA-FCAB information policy positions with government officials on a regular basis.

Intellectual Freedoms Committee: The Intellectual Freedom Committee (IFC) celebrated an agreement in principle to partner with the Centre for Free Expression in a joint challenges database and surveyed libraries about their participation in reporting challenges. Graphics of Canada’s most frequently challenged titles were released for Freedom to Read Week. The IFC continues to support libraries experiencing censorship attempts from organised groups and highlighted this issue with a press release. The committee is strengthening ties with Quebec library associations, developing IF Award procedures, and reviewing its website and communications for greater efficiency.

Indigenous Matters Committee: The Indigenous Matters committee has had their first meeting with their new members and chair, and are currently working on their meeting calendar and workplan for 2023/24

Climate Action Committee: A new committee has been formed out of the needs brought to us by our members. Terms of Reference and Mandate have been created for the new committee, and recruitment for a Chair has begun. If you are interested, please contact info@cfla-fcab.ca for more information.

Engaging with Members

National Forum 2023: The CFLA-FCAB board is very close to announcing our 2023 Virtual National Forum to take place in May. It will be a quick turn around, but one we are extremely excited for.

Communications:
Several external organizations whose objectives align with our own have reached out to us for communications. We’ve linked their information below for your convenience and perusal:

The Red Cross
CRC Opioid Harm Reduction Poster
English | French

The University of Alberta Indigenous MOOC and other Indigenous PD Poster
English | French

Shelagh Neary Mikulak Memorial Scholarship

On behalf of the Shelagh Neary Mikulak Memorial Scholarship for Leadership and Innovation in Library Sciences at Calgary Foundation we request your assistance in promoting this scholarship opportunity for Canadian post-secondary students pursuing a degree in the library sciences field. Please share this message with any students that may be eligible.

Students must be:

• Enrolled in a Library and Information Sciences or Library Technician program, (Certificate, Diploma, or Graduate degree) who demonstrates a passion for the library sciences field.
• In any year of study at a Canadian post-secondary.
• Able to demonstrate financial need.

There are two awards at approximately $2,000 each, applied directly to tuition. The deadline to apply is June 1st at midnight. Eligible applicants are encouraged to access scholarship information directly at: https://calgaryfoundation.org/student-awards/undergraduate-students/.

To access the Student Awards Online Portal, select ‘Apply Now’ under the award listing on the awards webpage. If there are any questions, please contact studentawards@calgaryfoundation.org.

The Ex Libris Association Indigenous Student Bursary

The Ex Libris Association (ELA) is excited to announce the launch of its Indigenous Student Bursary. ELA’s goal in offering the bursary is to encourage more Indigenous voices among staff in all types of libraries. ELA has partnered with Indspire to manage the bursary, and is also pleased to acknowledge a significant donation from Library Bound Inc. in the bursary’s inaugural year.

The $2,500 bursary will be awarded annually to an Indigenous student in the first year of library or archival studies – at the masters or technician level.

Donors can find more information about the bursary and ways to donate at https://www.exlibris.ca/doku.php?id=activities:indigenous_scholarship.

Applications will open in May. Students can find more information on the Indigenous Student Bursary and how to apply at https://indspire.ca/programs/students/bursaries-scholarships/

ELA is the national Canadian association of people who have spent an important part of their work life in libraries, archives, publishing houses, and adjunct fields, and who are now attracted to historical and current issues related to those institutions, as well as to issues concerning the personal welfare of their fellow members.

Having grown into one of the Top 10 Charities of Impact in Canada, Indspire is an Indigenous charity that invests in the education of First Nations, Inuit and Métis people for the long-term benefit of these individuals, their families and communities, and Canada. Since 1996, Indspire has provided over $190 million in financial support to more than 59,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis students.

(Via Canadian Federation of Library Associations)