The Library Board is a governing body that provides strategic direction and oversight and ensures that the Library delivers on its core values of exceptional customer service, intellectual freedom, building strong relationships with Londoners, empowering them digitally, enhancing their foundational literacies and being held accountable for our efforts – all through an anti-racism and anti-oppression lens.
We are a transparent library system and make available all documents including meeting agendas, minutes and reports from recent board meetings on this website. Scroll down to find upcoming meeting dates, agendas, reports and minutes. In addition, paper copies of these documents are available upon request.
How to Provide Input to Your Library Board
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Michael Ciccone, Chief Executive Officer & Chief Librarian would be pleased to meet with you and answer your questions or hear your concerns. His email address is michael.ciccone@lpl.ca. You can also call 519-661-5145. If you wish to go directly to the Board, you may ask to be a delegation at its next meeting.
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London Public Library wants input from the public about its services, policies and issues. We believe public participation in decisions is important. People wishing to speak to the Board about an issue or service can meet with the Board during one of the regular public meetings, as a "delegation" or by sending a letter or email.
To let the Board know you are interested in speaking, complete an Application for Delegation Status which is available online here or by calling the CEO’s Office at 519-661-5145.
Your request should be received no later than 4:30 pm on the Monday prior to the Board meeting.
The application can be faxed to 519-663-5396 or mailed to London Public Library, 251 Dundas St., London, ON N6A 6H9.
If you need assistance, either in the format of the application or in filling it out, please let us know so we may accommodate your need.
After we receive your form, we will contact you in order to arrange the date, time and place for you to speak at a Library Board meeting.
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You are welcome to provide a written copy of your presentation but it is not necessary. Written comments may also be sent without speaking to the Library Board in person. Brief notes will be taken during your presentation as a record for the Board. Presentations or information given to the Library Board, including the name of the presenter will become public information and may be communicated by the library to others.
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The Library Board meets a minimum of 7 times a year, usually on the fourth Thursday of months agreed upon by the board at the beginning of each year. Meeting dates can be found on our website on the page below. Delegations are usually scheduled at the beginning of the meeting.
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- Please arrive a little early for the meeting, so that the Board knows that you are there.
- You will have up to 5 minutes for your presentation.
- Act with respect and consideration for others and adhere to the LPL Charter of Rights and the procedures of the Library Board.
- Please do not use the names of individuals, staff or members of the public in order to protect their privacy.
- Board members may ask questions to understand you fully. Staff may be asked to comment on the information provided.
- Once you have made your presentation and the Board has finished asking questions, you will not be able to make any further comments at the meeting.
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The Library Board will proceed with their agenda once your delegation has been completed. You are welcome to remain through the remainder of the meeting.
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No decisions are made based solely on the information you provide as a delegation. The Library Board will consider other relevant information, viewpoints, ideas and opinions.
You can find information on Board decisions in the minutes of the meeting you attended, posted on the Library’s website or call 519-661-5145.
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Letters or emails may be sent to the London Public Library Board or to the CEO & Chief Librarian (as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Board). The communication you send will be received by the Library Board at its public meeting and is then public information. It may be communicated by the library to others.
We always welcome your comments written on “How Did We Do Today” comment cards available at any help desk in the Library.
The Library Board may schedule public meetings on specific topics from time to time. There will be notice for these meetings, as well as instructions on how to participate, on the library’s website.
We encourage you to participate!
Our Library Board
The Library Board consists of nine members appointed by the Council of the Corporation of the City of London, including seven citizens-at-large and two members of the Municipal Council. London Public Library strives for a Board that reflects the demographics of the community and supports the Library’s Purpose and Values through their experience, expertise and admiration for public library service.
Library Board Trustee Position Description
Brian Gibson (Chair, 2023 - 24)
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2018 to November 2022 and December 2022 – November 2026.
Jeremy McCall (Vice Chair, 2023 - 24)
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2018 to November 2022 and December 2022 – November 2026.
Scott Collyer
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from January 2022 to November 2022 and reappointed from December 2022 - November 2026.
Beth Allison
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
Councillor Peter Cuddy
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
Sharon Desserud
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
Zeba Hashmi
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
Heather Jack (Executive Committee Member)
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
Councillor Sam Trosow
Appointed to the Board as a representative of the City of London from December 2022 – November 2026.
To contact the Library Board please email LibraryBoard@lpl.ca.
Management Team
The Library's Management Team is responsible for the operations of London Public Library and oversees the Library's staff and volunteers.
Michael Ciccone
Email: michael.ciccone@lpl.ca
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Librarian
519-661-5143
Lakshay Gaur
Nancy Collister
Email: nancy.collister@lpl.ca
Director, Customer Services & Branch Operations
519-661-5100 x5136
Betty Holme
Email: betty.holme@lpl.ca
Director, Human Resources
519-661-5100 x4507
Jon Macdonald
Email: jon.macdonald@lpl.ca
Director, Information Technology Services
519-661-5100 x6465
Anne O'Sullivan
Email: anne.o'sullivan@lpl.ca
Manager, Customer Services & Branch Operations
519-661-5100 x5134
Chelsie Abraham
Email: chelsie.abraham@lpl.ca
Manager, Customer Services & Branch Operations
519-661-5100 x7501
Elizabeth Sutter
Email: elizabeth.sutter@lpl.ca
Manager, Customer Services & Branch Operations
519-661-5100 x7502
Ellen Hobin
Craig Ashby
Email: craig.ashby@lpl.ca
Manager, Facility Services
519-661-5100 x5158
Hussein El Birani
Email: hussein.elbirani@lpl.ca
Manager, Financial Operations
519-661-5100 x7427
Financial Statements
Library Board Meeting Dates 2024
Library Board meetings are usually held at Central Library in the Friends Board Room on the third floor. Board Meetings are always open to the public. To speak at a Library Board Meeting, please see information about being a Delegation in the How To Provide Input to Your Library Board section above.
| Date | Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| January 18 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| February 22 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| March 21 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| April 18 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| May 23 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| July 18 | Noon |
Online on Zoom. Register by July 17. |
| August 22 | Noon | Online on Zoom. Register by Aug 21 at noon |
| September 19 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| October 24 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
| November 15(Special meeting) | 1:00pm | Online on Zoom. Register by Nov 15 at 1pm. |
| December 5 | 5:30pm | Friends of the London Public Library Board Room |
November 2024 (Special Meeting)
LONDON PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD
REGULAR MEETING
November 15, 2024 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Zoom Meeting Link
LPL PURPOSE STATEMENT
London Public Library strengthens people and neighbourhoods by creating connections that enrich lives, inspire discovery, foster creativity, and expand possibilities.
- Apologies
- Councillor P. Cuddy, Z. Hashmi
- Disclosures of Interest
- Changes to and Adoption of Agenda(s)
- Reports from Committees, Members and Staff Requiring Board Action
- Inquiries and Other Business
Board Bylaws
The Public Libraries Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990., Chapter P 44, provides that the public libraries shall be under the management and control of a Board, which is a corporation.
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1.1 Name The London Public Library (Library) Board, hereinafter referred to as “the Board”, is established under the Public Libraries Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990, herein referred to as “the Act”. 1.2 Enactment The following rules and regulations of the Board shall be observed for the order and dispatch of business and shall regulate the conduct and duties of its members and officers. Where there is any conflict between these rules and regulations and the Public Libraries Act as amended, or other Acts such as the Municipal Act, the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, the Act or Acts shall take precedence. 1.3 Head Office The Head Office of the Board shall be at the Central Library, 251 Dundas Street, London, Ontario, N6A 6H9. 1.4 Purpose The purpose of the Board is to provide public library services to the residents of London as set out in the Act and/or defined by the Board from time to time. 1.5 Corporate Seal The Board shall have a corporate seal, an impression of which is stamped on the margin hereof. The seal shall be affixed under the direction of the Board to all deeds, contracts, or instruments requiring the seal, and which seal shall be attested by the signatures of the Chair of the Board, Vice-Chair, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Assistant Treasurer, or any two of them, or by such member and/or such other officer of the Board as the Board shall direct. 1.6 Power and duties The Board’s powers and duties shall be those described in the Act. 1.7 Rules of Order Conduct of meetings and procedures thereto not set out herein shall follow Robert’s Rules of Order by Henry M. Robert. 1.8 Indemnification The Board hereby agrees to save harmless and keep indemnified Library Board members, Library employees and volunteers, its successor and assigns from and against all claims, demands, actions, suits, proceedings, losses, costs, including reasonable legal costs, charges, damages, liabilities and expenses which the Board, its successors and assigns, may at any time or times bear, sustain, suffer, be put to or incur by reason of any action or other proceeding arising out of acts or omissions done or made by them in their capacity as board members or board employees including while acting in the performance of any statutory duty imposed by any general or specific act or for paying any sum required in connection with the settlement of such an action or other proceeding and for assuming the cost of defending any such person in such an action or other proceeding. 1.9 Interpretation The use of the singular shall be deemed to include the plural wherever the context so requires.
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2.1 Size and Composition The Board shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the Council of the Corporation of the City of London, hereinafter referred to as “the Council”:
a) two (2) members of the Municipal Council;
b) seven (7 citizens-at-large).2.2 Qualifications Appointees must meet the qualifications set out in the Public Libraries Act. 2.3 Term A member of the Board shall hold office for a 4-year term, commencing with resolution of appointment by Council, until a new Board is appointed by Council, unless scenarios in 2.4 and 2.5 apply. 2.4 Resignations / Vacancies Vacancies arising for any reason shall be filled by the Council and the person appointed shall hold office for the unexpired term of the person whose place has become vacant, except if the unexpired term is less than forty-five (45) days, in which case it will remain vacant until Council appoints a new Board. 2.5 Disqualifications If a Board member is absent from meetings of the Board for three (3) consecutive calendar months without a resolution having been recorded in the minutes, that member’s seat shall be deemed to be vacated and the Board, by motion, shall notify the Council that the seat has become vacant. -
3.1 Chair The Board shall elect the Chair for a one-year term. The Chair shall hold office until the next annual or inaugural meeting, or until a successor is elected. In the event the Chair becomes vacant for any reason, the Vice-Chair shall assume the office for the unexpired term.
The duties of the Chair shall include:
· presiding at all meetings of the Board and preserving order;
· deciding all questions on order, subject to appeal to the Board;
· voting on any question before the Board and if there shall be an equality of votes, the question shall be deemed to be negative, and
· being an ex-officio member of all committees.
3.2 Vice-Chair The Board shall elect the Vice-Chair for a one-year term and until a successor is elected. In the absence of the Chair, the Vice-Chair shall preside and shall have all of the Chair’s powers and responsibilities. If both the Chair and Vice-Chair are absent, the members of the Board shall select a member to chair the meeting, provided a quorum is present. The Vice-Chair shall hold office until the next annual or inaugural meeting, or until a successor is elected. In the event the Vice-Chair becomes vacant for any reason, a new Vice-Chair shall be elected in the same manner as outlined theretofore. 3.3 Secretary-Treasurer The Board shall appoint by motion a Secretary Treasurer who shall be the CEO of the Board and shall hold office until removed by motion of the Board. 3.4 CEO The CEO is the Board’s employee to whom the Board delegates the supervision and direction of the operations of the Library and its staff and who shall be known in these by-laws as CEO/Secretary–Treasurer. 3.5 Assistant Treasurer The Board shall appoint by motion an Assistant Treasurer who shall be the Director, Financial Services. 3.6 Signing Officers Signing officers of the Board shall be the Chair, the Vice Chair, the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer and the Assistant Treasurer, and the signatures of any two (2) shall be affixed to documents as necessary. 3.7 Other Officers The Board shall appoint such other officers as it deems necessary, all of whom shall hold office at the pleasure of the Board. 3.8 External Appointments The Board shall make appointments to external organizations as required or in the interest of the Board -
4.1 Executive Committee The Chair, Vice-Chair and the past Chair or if there is no past chair a third member of the Board elected by the Board shall serve as the Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee:
· may determine matters of an emergency nature provided actions taken are communicated to the Board, and/or
· may be authorized by motion of the Board to act for the Board provided that matters so determined shall be ratified by the Board at its next regular or special meeting.4.2 Permanent Committees The Board may establish permanent committees by a resolution of the Board for which notice of motion has been given at a previous regular meeting and for which a majority of Board members have voted in the affirmative and each such committee shall remain until dis-established.
Membership and terms of reference of such committees shall be approved and/or amended by the Board and such terms shall be attached as addenda to these by-laws.4.3 Ad Hoc Committees Various ad hoc committees may be established by motion of the Board to deal with special matters before the Board. A committee may have any number of members, and suggestions for membership shall be sought from Board members at regular or special meetings.
The Board shall appoint members to ad hoc committees and the committee shall appoint a Chair at the first meeting. The Chief Executive Officer or designate shall be the secretary of all ad hoc committees and shall do all those things necessary to further the work of the committee and they shall appoint a minute-taker as necessary. The Chair, or in the Chair’s absence, another member of the committee, shall report to the Board as required.
Upon completion of its assignment, an ad hoc committee shall be discharged by motion of the Board. -
5.1 Inaugural Meeting The inaugural meeting of the Board shall be held in December of the first year of the term of Council or at such time following as the majority of appointments have been made to the Library Board. The meeting will be held at the time and place estab¬lished by the Board at a regular meeting of the Board in the prior year. 5.2 Annual Meeting The annual meeting of the Board, for the purpose of electing Officers, shall be held in the first year of the term at the same time as the Inaugural meeting.
During intervening years, the annual meeting of the Board shall be held in December at the time and place established by the Board at a regular meeting of the Board in the prior year.
· At the time appointed for the meeting, the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer, shall call the Board to order and read the names of the members appointed.
· The CEO/Secretary-Treasurer shall act as Chair pro tem for the election of the Chair for the current year and shall call for nominations.
· Nominations shall be made with no seconder required. Nominations shall be closed by motion made and seconded.
· The election of the Chair requires “a majority vote” which is defined as “votes cast by fifty percent plus one of members present”.
a) If only one member has been nominated that member shall be declared elected.
b) If more than one member has been nominated, the Chair shall be elected by secret ballot. The member receiving a majority vote shall be declared elected by the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer but the count shall not be disclosed.
c) Should no member receive a majority vote, the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer shall so declare and balloting shall proceed until a Chair is elected, with a majority vote, or after three consecutive ties, the names of the members nominated shall be placed in a container and one name of one member shall be drawn, who shall be declared elected.
d) If two or more members have been nominated and have received votes, but not a majority vote, then prior to the next balloting the name of the member with the least number of votes shall be removed from the ballot, and voting shall continue as in section (c); names of members who have not received any votes are also removed.
e) If two or more members have been nominated and have received votes, but no member has received a majority vote, and there is a tie amongst some but not all of those members receiving votes, then voting continues until a Chair is elected, with a majority vote, or, after three consecutive ties, then the names of the members with the tied votes are placed in a container and the name of one member drawn to remain on the ballot. Voting then continues until a Chair is elected as per section (c).
· Following election, the Chair shall assume the Chair and call for nominations for Vice-Chair. If the Chair is not present, the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer shall call for nominations for Vice-Chair. The election of Vice-Chair shall be conducted in the same manner as that for Chair. Should the past Chair no longer be a member of the Board or otherwise decline candidacy, the election of a third member to the Executive Committee shall be conducted in the same manner as that for Chair.
· If neither the Chair nor Vice-Chair are in attendance at either the inaugural meeting or subsequent meetings, members of the Board shall, by motion, appoint one of their own members to be Chair pro tem.5.3 Regular Meetings Regular meetings of the Board shall be held in two parts: a public session and a closed meeting.
Regular meetings of the Board shall be held at the Central Library a minimum of 7 times a year on the third or fourth Thursday of months agreed upon by the board at the beginning of each year, or at such other time and place as is decided at a previous meeting by a majority vote of the members present.
A meeting shall be called to order by the Chair at the appointed hour. Should there be no quorum present thirty (30) minutes after the time appointed for the meeting, the CEO/Secretary-Treasurer shall record the names of those present and the meeting shall stand adjourned. Should a quorum not be present during a meeting no further business may be conducted and the meeting shall stand adjourned.5.4 Public Session The Public Session segment of the Board meeting shall be open to the public. Delegations from the public must be received 48 hours prior to a regularly scheduled Board meeting, or, in other cases, as determined by Library policy. 5.5 Confidential Session When the Board determines that matters should be dealt with in the absence of the public, a motion to move into a Confidential Session must be moved, seconded and approved by a majority vote, prior to the meeting being closed.
The following subjects may be discussed at properly constituted closed sessions:
· Debate as to whether or not an item is properly in Executive Session where, in the Chair’s opinion, the discussion in public session would be prejudicial,
· Security of Board property,
· Confidential personal matters, such as matters about an identifiable individual,
· Proposed or pending land acquisition or disposition by the Board,
· Labour relations,
· Litigation or potential litigation,
· Advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege including communications for that purpose,
· A request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.The Board may invite appropriate persons to attend Confidential Sessions.
Minutes shall be recorded. A verbal report shall be made by the Chair at the next regular meeting.5.6 Notification of Meetings Notices of regular meetings and accompanying documentation shall be emailed and/or posted to a board management platform and to the Library’s public web site 72 hours prior to the meeting. 5.7 Special Meetings The Chair or any two members of the Board may summon a special meeting of the Board by giving each member reasonable notice by email, specifying the purpose for which the meeting is called. Special emergency meetings may be called with notices sent as described above. 5.8 Suspend Order of Business Order of Business shall be established by policy. The Board may at any time suspend or vary the order of business by direction from the Chair without objection, or by motion and majority vote of the members present. 5.9 Motions All decisions will be made on the basis of motions. The Board may consider correspondence, reports, minutes of its committees, verbal reports and so forth without a motion having been made.
If no action is required, the Chair may order the matter to be received. If action is required the Chair may designate the action to be taken if there is no objection by any member of the Board present.5.10 Quorum At all regular and special meetings of the Board or its committees a five-member majority (5) shall constitute a quorum. 5.11 Minute-taker The CEO shall designate a minute-taker for meetings, which will be the Executive Assistant to the CEO or substitute. 5.12 Attendance Attendance at Board meetings and Committees shall be recorded. Members shall notify the Board Secretary in advance if they are unable to attend the meeting. For absence from Board meetings for three consecutive calendar months see “Disqualifications” under BOARD COMPOSITION. -
6.1 Minutes of Board Meetings Minutes of the regular meeting and special meetings shall be in writing and shall be posted as prescribed in 5.7. 6.2 Minutes of Committes Minutes of committees shall be delivered to the Board in the same manner as minutes of Board meetings. Minutes of meetings of committees held less than four working days prior to the Board meeting may be postponed to the next Board meeting.
When a committee meets so that minutes cannot be made available to the Board at its next meeting, and in particular when the committees meet on the same day as the Board, written resolutions may be distributed to the Board at the proper time.6.3 Agendas A written agenda shall be prepared by the CEO in consultation with the Chair and shall be provided to the members in the same manner as are the minutes.
Any member of the Board wishing to place an item on the agenda may do so by making a request to the CEO not later than the Monday prior to the regularly scheduled Board meeting.6.4 Additions to Agenda
At the beginning of any regular meeting the Chair may announce additional items to be added to the agenda. Any revisions to the agenda shall be approved by the Board. -
7.1 Review Revision to any of the guiding authorities (Public Libraries Act, other legislation, Board Governance policies) may necessitate a review of these by-laws. 7.2 Amendments Any of the clauses of this by-law may be repealed or amended at a regular or special meeting of the Board by motion provided that a majority of members of the Board present and voting, vote in the affirmative and that notice has been given at a previous meeting and recorded in the minutes which have been distributed to Board members. 7.3 Effective Date These bylaws are effective at the time of approval by Board motion. -
8.1 Adopted February 17, 1982 8.2 Amended Amended December 15, 1982. (3.10)
Amended June 13, 1984. (9.3, 10.2, 10.3, Addendum 1)
Amended February 20, 1985. (3.10)
Amended October 16, 1985. (Public Libraries Act, 1984)
Amended December 20, 1989 [Board Motion: L89/153]
Amended November 14, 1990 [Board Motion: L90/102.1]
Amended November 16, 1994 [Board Motion: L94/97]
Amended June 19, 1996 [Board Motion: L96/93)
Amended November 13, 1996 [Board Motion: L96/138]
Amended February 26, 1997 [Board Motion: L97/15]
Amended January 27, 1999 [Board Motion: L99/05)
Amended October 25, 2000 [Board Motion: L00/95.6)
Amended November 29, 2000 [Board Motion: L00/106/4]
Amended October 25, 2006 [Board Motion: L06/42.1]
Amended November 19, 2008 [Board Motion: L08/55]
Amended December 17, 2008 [Board Motion: L08/65]
Amended November 20, 2014 [Board Motion: L14/66.1]Amended April 20, 2023 [Board Motion: L23/32]