At the recent 2009 OLA Superconference, I presented a session on I.T. Governance for Library Boards - What every Board needs to know now.  Essentially, I am calling on Board members to be aware and to get educated on the impacts of I.T. decisions on key aspects of Board Governance, namely: 

Strategic Planning
Financial Planning
Legal Issues
Advocacy Issues

Ok, the provincial government's Library Strategic Development Fund sounds wonderful - in principle. Up to $50,000 of matched funding is provided for various strategic projects headed up by Libraries, with a few requirements such as: fits with their strategic priorities, partners are included, municipal support is stated, and (more importantly), the project must serve as a model, or best practice that can be shared with other libraries.

Implications of the Funding Crunch

With more and more of a Library's operating and capital budgets being financed directly through municipal grants, sometimes in excess of 90% of the budget, what are the implications for the independence of the Library Board?

In the past, before the provincial per capita funding formula was frozen, there was a sufficient percentage of a Library's budget funded by the provincial government that allowed the Boards to have a measure of independence from the municipal funders, and compelling reasons to ensure adherence to the Provincial Libraries Act. Basic principles including no user fees for access to resources and intellectual freedoms, and various service level standards and accreditation programs were requisites in order to receive the provincial grant.