May 2024 Board Meeting - Minutes

May 23, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. 
Semiahmoo Branch 

Present:  Councillor Kooner, Trustee Cuenca, Trustee Gurm (Chair), Trustee Gillies, Trustee Kaluarachchi, Trustee Kular, Trustee Pascal, Trustee Smith, Trustee Sohal (arr.6:15pm and dep. 7:15pm), and Trustee Werring 

Regrets: Trustee Pham

Staff: 

  • Surinder Bhogal, Chief Librarian 
  • Nav Gill, Administrative Coordinator  

Guests: 

  • Aureole Johnstone, CUPE 402-02 
  • Amar Bains, CUPE 402-02

1. Call To Order & Land Acknowledgement

Trustee Gurm called the meeting to order at 6:00 p.m. and expressed appreciation working on the traditional territories of the Semiahmoo, Katzie, Kwikwetlem, Kwantlen, Qayqayt, Musqueam and Tsawwassen First Nations. 

2. Adoption Of The Agenda

Trustee Pascal moved and Trustee Gillies seconded –  CARRIED

3. Adoption Of The Consent Agenda

  1. Approval of April 11, 2024 minutes of Regular Meeting of the Surrey Public Library Board
  2. Financial Statement for the period ending April 30, 2024 

Trustee Werring moved and Trustee Pascal seconded – CARRIED

4. Staff Presentations

  1. Cyber Security
    Erol Olcay, Manager of Information Technology, and Mark Dietelbach, City of Surrey Cyber Security Manager, presented on the measures the City and Libraries have in place to prevent cyber security attacks. 
  2. Sustainability at Surrey Libraries
    Jennifer Wilson, Manager of Information Services, and Kelly Lau, Sustainability Coordinator, presented on how the Library can be a catalyst and an inspiration for change by leading and acting sustainably. 

5. New Business/Discussion

  1. New Sustainability Policy 
    MOTION: “To approve the new sustainability policy.” 
    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Werring seconded - CARRIED
  2. Revisions to Privacy Policy
    MOTION: “To approve the revisions to the privacy policy with minor amendment as discussed.” 
    Trustee Kular moved and Trustee Sohal seconded - CARRIED
  3. Revisions to Acceptable Conduct Policy.
    MOTION: “To approve the revisions to the acceptable conduct policy with minor amendments as discussed.” 
    Trustee Kaluarachchi moved and Trustee Sohal seconded –  CARRIED
  4. Revisions to Human Resources Policy 
    MOTION: “To approve the revisions to the human resources policy with minor amendments as discussed.” 
    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Werring seconded – CARRIED
  5. Advocacy Plan Update 
    The plan was reviewed and discussion focussed on building relationships with elected officials. It was also agreed that actions may be carried out on an as-needed basis instead of annually.  
  6. Board Skills Matrix Results 
    Trustees noted the lack of representation on the Board from the Indigenous community and the importance of reviewing this for upcoming vacancies.  

6.Information Items

  1. Reports - none
  2. Verbal Updates
    1. Committees:  No updates. 
      InterLINK:  Trustee Gillies attended the InterLINK meeting last week; InterLINK had a clean audit; trustees invited to Library Champions celebration at VPL on June 6; highlighted the work of InterLINK Accessibility Committee. 
    2. Chief Librarian: 
      • 2024 City Budget passed. Council approved a 45,000 square foot new library at the new Newton Community Centre. Library received some of its new funding requests – staffing and partial operational funding for mobile services. 
      • Library has also received operational and capital funding as part of the City’s Focus Newton project. 
      • Guildford Branch is closed from June 3-16 for maintenance. 
      • Indigenous Knowledge Keeper-in-residence, Les George, starts on June 3 for a 5-month term. 

7. Next Library Board Meeting

July 25, 2024, 6pm, Clayton Branch 

8. Motion For Moving In-Camera / Adjourn

Trustee Werring moved and Councillor Kooner seconded – CARRIED

Meeting adjourned at 7:45 pm.