FOPL ED Report for Sept. 25, 2020

1. AGENDA ITEM DOC4
Subject: FOPL Executive Director Update based on 2019-2020 Goals
Date: Sept. 17, 2020
Prepared by: Stephen Abram, FOPL Executive Director
Prepared for: FOPL Board Meeting, Sept. 25, 2020
Once again, I am reporting FOPL activities based on the FOPL Strategic Plan 2016-2021 (revised
Nov. 2019). Maybe not so surprisingly, but life and FOPL work has been remarkably busy during
this stay-at-home period. I deal with Ontario public library issues - big and small - every day lately -
even weekends.
The BIG Stuff in the past 3 months:
There are a number of files that continue to require intense attention and the provision of
information and advice to the provincial government. We worked closely with Counsel Public
Affairs to keep public libraries on the government’s radar.
My prediction is that this so-called ‘new normal’ will see a vastly different approach to government
priorities and decision making over the next few years. We should expect and prepare for more
emergency legislations, funding, shutdowns, and changes over the next three years at a
minimum. Luckily, our relationships are stronger than ever before.
Over the coming months I expect to see:
1. An announcement soon that the OLA Super Conference will be 100% virtual. This is having
potentially major financial impact for OLA – our major lobbying partner. Also, for FOPL this
means that we will need to schedule and plan an online Annual Business Meeting.
2. An announcement of funding for broadband on the level of $10 million plus. This is a direct
result of my activities with OLA and CPA.
3. An announcement of the finalization of Bill 108 and the new regulations for the DC/CBC
regimes. I expect to see our goals in the new regulations. This would not have happened with
the initial proposal and the Ministry acknowledges that FOPL’s efforts changed the course they
were taking. This affects 10’s of millions of dollars for library infrastructure funding, as well as
by our survey over 30% of public library collections and technology budgets. In the future our
members can count on being eligible for 100% (versus 90%) DC funding and to be able to use
DC funds for the traditional capital assets beyond building construction and renovation.
4. The final Bill 108 connect-the-dot is our planned Hemson white paper and recorded e-training
to ensure our members are trained to get the best local DC bylaws for their future projects.
5. The Fall period will see the various Ministries offering their budget recommendation to the
Cabinet. We can also expect budget consultations in a revised format. CPA, OLA, and I are

2. working our strategy to avoid cuts, increase spending on ODPL, digital, and broadband. We
are also keeping a close on any budgetary items related to ServiceOntario, SOLS/OLS-North,
schools, infrastructure, and digital initiatives.
6. We are supporting several ServiceOntario pilots for a transformed ServiceOntario hybrid
model. Ultimately this will provide greater funding opportunities from another Ministry.
7. Throughout the summer I did multiple testimonies and submitted documents to the various
legislative committees in Ontario. All were well received and we connected-the-dots for our
testimony and research back to the Ministries that would be charged with recommending or
implementing any of our recommendations.
8. I expect to see more lockdowns and have a model in my mind of what might happen over the
next six months. All these scenarios will materially affect our re-openings.
9. I still expect both Federal and Ontario cabinet shuffles both large and small.
10.I am quite pleased to have authored several articles for Literary Review and PLQ on public
library issues and the role of authors and libraries.
11.We also expect to see the PLDS for 2019 released shortly. We can then prepare our final pre-
COVID statistics report in our series. Next year we will delight in seeing the differences in this
COVID lockdown and re-opening period.
NOTE: Just by way of a heads up, the executive committee of the FOPL Board has asked me
use all earned vacation days from 2019-2020 right away. As such, I will be on leave from Monday
Sept. 14 to Friday Dec. 11. I have provided a proposal and fee quotation to the executive
committee in case they want me to do any FOPL work during this period and await a response.
To be clear, as you can see from the treasurer’s report, FOPL is running a good surplus and there
are no performance issues involved. Helen will hold the fort for the coming three months.
Historical summary of selected activities:
As policy and direction from the province dribbled out, we tried to provide context for our members
on our blog and in e-mailings.
A top priority has been communication with our members. For example:
 Stephen collected, shared, or wrote quite a number of pieces about issues related to
shutdowns, safety, cleanliness, re-openings, curbside pick-up, etc.
 Stephen drafted curbside pick-up guidelines and worked with SOLS, OLS-North, and OLA
to make this a sector-wide recommendation. We ran it past MHSTCI and got verbal
endorsement.
 Stephen has drafted re-opening guidelines and recommendations which are shared with
SOLS, OLS-North, OLA, OLBA, and CULC. These are still draft as we await the provincial
government frameworks, authorizations, and dates.
 Stephen wrote and shared pieces on COVID and Post-COVID-19 marketing, collection
development, safety, and HR issues, etc.
 Stephen shares 3-6 pieces a day on the FOPL OpenMediaDesk Facebook group which
has grown a lot. Public Libraries’ digital presence has been one of the success stories of
the shutdown and FOPL supports sharing free resources for home learning, safety, mental
health, technologies like Zoom, work-from-home, fun, and cultural tours, and more.
 Stephen has participated in quite a number of Zoom sessions and webinars for SOLS,

3. OLA, OLBA, FOPL, etc. on various aspects of post-COVID-19 planning and direction.
We continue to talk and influence, with our partners and many more Ministries than usual about:
1. FOPL worked with the MHSTCI to achieve the early release of the PLOG funding as well as
all of our other normal provincial funding streams (Pay equity, SOLS/OLS-North, OLA,
connectivity). This will be announced soon. A thank you letter has been drafted to the
Minister.
2. We continue to work with the business planning team at ServiceOntario. It has been
complicated by the work-at-home issues, but it appears to be on schedule to include a
revised, re-imagined program and funding for public libraries.
3. Stephen and Counsel have provided extensive research, new polls, and data to the Ministry
of Infrastructure. They are working on the business case for fibre based broadband funding
for public libraries. Stephen committed to provide them with the draft words and supporting
documentation for their business case. We expect this funding to form part of a fall
announcement.
4. Library Boards ARE the employer and NOT subject to direct municipal control. We have a
number of concerns about how the PLA is enforced by MHSTCI and attached is a letter sent
to ‘our’ Minister as well as the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing about our concerns
with the stability of municipal financing and library budgets/workforces.
5. Library Boards must have authorization to hold virtual meetings and we achieved a
Ministerial order to accomplish this as well as full guidance. We have also requested that
this be extended through the summer at a minimum or made permanent.
6. Bill 108 regulations and DC/CBC implementation. We have a strong understanding with
MMAH and good 2-way conversations. We are in a winning position for libraries and some
of our partners. I believe that these will be issued in summer 2020 with full guidance for
municipalities. When we know the playing field, we can provide training and guidance for
our Boards and CEOs.
7. As a response to COVID-19, FOPL opened the FOPL OpenMediaDesk Facebook Group to
all library staff in Ontario and we populate it with a ton of resources, advice, and ideas daily.
We have had many new group members and great compliments.
8. FOPL is communicating on a timely basis any relevant library issues and advice (although
IANAL) through our website blog, Twitter and our three Facebook groups (and through
private e-mails and phone calls).
9. We (FOPL, OLA, SOLS, OLS-North) meet on a weekly basis with Kevin Finnerty, ADM at
MHSTCI as well as on our own to coordinate. We meet weekly with Counsel Public Affairs
on all issues with a standard agenda. It is in these forums that we try to influence the
COVID-19 and provincial policy issues.
10.We were able to get, through Access to Information request the consulting report about the
Ontario Digital Public Library (ODPL). It is important information that underpins our bigger
“ASK”. Although the full Ontario provincial budget was cancelled and an economic
statement that will last one year was issued digitally on March 25, 2020. We continue to
position our ODPL initiative as a sustainable response to the COVID-19 crisis as well as
broadband and educational initiatives.

4. 11.Our Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant project continues (separate update attached). We
have had conversations with OTF and gotten their permission to adjust the strategies and
meetings to accommodate COVID issues without compromising expected results.
12.We have advised MHSTCI on plans for the 2020/21 minister’s awards and some temporary
changes that may be logical.
13.FOPL’s resilience is in great shape.
a. Stephen and Helen are working successfully from home. (We both can tell stories!)
b. Helen and I do go into the office around once a week to collect mail, sign cheques,
and generally make sure things are fine
c. Helen has VPN access to all of our systems at TPL and Stephen backed up every
digital FOPL file on a portable terabyte drive and has it at home.
d. To our credit, Helen was successful in renewing all members for this year. I believe
our successes lately and hopefully throughout 2020 will gain more, but I would be
remiss if I didn’t note that I am worried about FOPL membership renewals given the
fiscal impacts that our members are experiencing locally.
e. I think we have achieved some budget saving and we will be able to add to our fund
after the audit and AGM.
f. Our automated payroll and cheque services can continue because of the
modernization changes we made last year.
g. If needed TRL security can provide access to our offices to pick something up.