Dear BCLA Members.
On Saturday, January 31st BCLA President Heather Buzzell and I represented BCLA at a meeting hosted by the Canadian Library Association in Toronto. The meeting was organized by CLA and brought national library organizations and provincial associations together to consider the future of CLA. Many of you are aware that CLA is considering significant change and have read CLA’s paper A Proposed New Vision for Our National Association.
http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=16142&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm
Members of the CLA Executive acknowledged that the current CLA structure is unsustainable and not wholly relevant to the needs of the library community. Before investigating possible iterations of CLA they asked if a national voice, represented by CLA, was a potentially valuable asset for associations and libraries across Canada.
Attendees discussed the benefits of a national voice and, by the end of the meeting, reached a general agreement that such a voice was valuable. What that voice represents or should represent, was discussed in detail, not to set policy, but to provide all attendees with an opportunity to add their thoughts and ideas to any future plans for CLA.
Attendees also discussed the advantages and disadvantages of potential structural models for an evolved CLA. Details about these options are included in CLA’s A Proposed New Vision for Our National Association, linked above.
By the end of the meeting the group was focused on a “federation of associations” model. This discussion was wide ranging and elicited a willingness to explore additional details about a federated model. Financial models were not discussed but there was acknowledgement that this is a key factor in any future iteration of CLA. Currently CLA is undergoing significant cost saving measures to streamline the association and prepare for possible future transitions.
After four hours of engaged discussion there was a shared cautious optimism in the room and a willingness to determine next steps. A smaller working group will be formed to determine significant questions for the next conversation about CLA’s future. Another in-person meeting is being planned to coincide with the CLA conference in Ottawa in June. The hope is that the working group can report on their progress to the larger group of attendees.
At this point BCLA is committed to bringing the provincial perspective to the discussion about CLA’s future. Ways to hear individual member voices as well as collective voices from our Sections, Committees and Interest Groups, will be discussed at the next BCLA Board meeting on February 13th. We know there are more questions than answers right now as these discussions have only just begun.
We anticipate that this will be an ongoing and engaging topic for the Association and both the BCLA Board and staff will continue with regular communication as events unfold over the next year.
Thank you,
Annette
Annette DeFaveri
Executive Director
British Columbia Library Association