May 2025 Board Meeting - Minutes

May 22, 2025 at 6:00 p.m.
Strawberry Hill Branch

Present: Trustees Dulce Cuenca, Balbir Gurm (Chair), John Gillies, Kulvinder Kular, Jocelyne Leszczynski, Alisa-Thao Pham, Tanveer Sohal, Rachel Smith

Regrets: Councillor Pardeep Kooner, Trustees Stanley Chang, Saman Kaluarachchi, Patria Pascal, Lisa Werring

Staff: 

  • Surinder Bhogal, Chief Librarian
  • Michael Ho, Director, Administrative Services
  • Amy Ashmore, Director Collections & Tech
  • Julie Balenzano, Director, Public Services
  • Jenny Fry, Director Programs & Partnerships
  • Kim Davies, Acting Director, Communications and Advancement
  • Kelly Lau, Sustainability Coordinator
  • Nav Gill, Administrative Coordinator

1. Call To Order & Land Acknowledgement

Trustee Gurm called the meeting to order at 6:02 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 Sohal moved and Trustee Leszczynski seconded – CARRIED

3. Adoption Of The Consent Agenda

  1. Approval of minutes of April 10, 2025, Regular Meeting
  2. Financial Statement for the period ending April 30, 2025
    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Kular seconded – CARRIED

4. New Business/Discussion

  1. Library Governance policy revisions
    MOTION: “To approve the Library Governance policy revisions.”
    Trustee Leszczynski moved and Trustee Gillies seconded – CARRIED
  2. Meeting Room and Computer Learning Centre policy revisions
    MOTION: “To approve the Library Governance policy revisions.”
    Trustee Smith moved and Trustee Leszczynski seconded – CARRIED
  3. Advocacy Plan Update
    Plan actions were reviewed and a suggestion was made to foster relationships with local Indigenous officials. Trustees will be meeting with MLAs over the next few weeks.

5. Information Items

  1. Staff Presentation – Sustainability Action Updates
    Kelly Lau provided an update on the Library’s actions on working towards the Sustainable Libraries Initiative Certificate.
  2. Reports
    1. Digital Materials Update, Amy Ashmore, Director Collections and Resources.
  3. Verbal Updates
    1. Board Chair:
      • Provided highlights of the Executive Committee meeting on April 16, such as discussing ideas for further board development and holding optional coffee meetings to support and mentor new members.
      • Thanked Mayor and Council for endorsing the provincial funding resolution at the Lower Mainland Local Government Association (LMLGA) annual meeting. The resolution will proceed to UBCM in September.
      • Thanked trustees for attending the Mayor’s State of City Address.
    2. InterLINK: Trustee Gillies and Trustee Kular attended the last InterLINK meeting and provided following updates:
      • InterLINK has engaged a consultant to conduct a governance review.
      • Audit and Financial Statements approved with no issues.
      • A risk register has been developed.
    3. Chief Librarian:
      • Julie Balenzano reported the Province is distributing free naloxone nasal kits to public libraries to help with opioid crisis. Library is collaborating with City and our Health & Safety Committee to implement.
      • Kim Davies reported that in June the Library is participating in a national study commissioned by Canadian Urban Libraries Council (CULC) on the impact of public libraries.
      • Jenny Fry reported that budget shortfalls at Surrey Schools may impact Summer Reading Club participation numbers.
      • Amy Ashmore reported that effective May 1, to manage rising costs, the Library reduced patron holds for eAudio and eBooks in OverDrive and Libby from 25 to 10.
      • Michael Ho reported that 5 new library staff positions have been funded by the City in the 2025 Budget and 3 ‘work pods’ are being installed at the Guildford branch in June.

6. Next Meeting

July 24, 6:00pm, Ocean Park Branch

7. Adjournment

Trustee Sohal moved and Trustee Leszczynski seconded – CARRIED

Regular meeting adjourned at 7:52 pm.