Toronto Public Library Board - May 25, 1998 Meeting Highlights
Released May 26, 1998
City Council Appointees to the Library Board
These members of Council are in addition to Councillor Elizabeth Brown, Ward - Rexdale Thistletown, who was appointed to the Board earlier in the year. The term of the appointment expires on November 30, 2000.
Interim Financial Control and Purchasing Policies Approved
The Board approved interim financial control and purchasing policies until permanent policies can be put into place. The Board also appointed Josephine Bryant, CEO/City Librarian, to carry out the responsibilities of the Treasurer and give necessary approvals for purchasing until staff have been hired in these positions. The interim purchasing policy excludes acquisition of library materials. Staff were asked to develop and present to the Board a policy to deal exclusively with the purchase of library materials.
Confirmation of 1998 Operating and Capital Budgets
The Library Board adopted the 1998 Operating Budget and the 1998 Capital Budget as approved by City Council. The Operating Budget is for a net funding level of $104,499,700, representing a gross budget of $117,060,800. This amount reflects a 3.1% reduction from 1997 of $5,019,000. The Library's Capital Budget has a net value of $1,826,000 for renovations and retrofits at Bendale, Parkdale, Leaside and North York Central branches.
Virtual Reference Library Project
Richard Boxer, Chair of the Library Foundation and staff of the Toronto Reference Library made a presentation to the Library Board on the Virtual Reference Library. This project is being developed by the Library Foundation and the Reference Library with a number of outside partners. It has received tremendous support from the business community with $1.7 million committed to the project, either in cash or in-kind funds, from Digital Renaissance, Cisco Systems, Silicon Graphics, helios/oceana, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. and the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology. A Telecommunications Access Partnership grant for over $520,000 from the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology was also awarded in March.
The Board gave approval for the Board Chair and the CEO/City Librarian to finalize and sign a contract with the Ministry of Energy, Science and Technology. The Board also gave its support to the Foundation to continue its pursuit of partners to cover the remaining $350,000 needed to complete the project.
Board Meetings September to December
The following dates are scheduled for the Toronto Public Library Board meetings for the remainder of 1998:
June 22
September 28
October 26
November 23
December 14
Next Meeting: June 22, 1999