IT Governance Issue for Library Boards and Bill 128

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

There is no question that the advancement of information technologies (social networking, content digitization, open source movement, real-time streaming) and the increasingly costly investments needed to leverage these technologies, have all had an impact on strategic decisions made by Libraries.  This is not just part of the overall evolution of Libraries, but also a response to a new generation of patrons that expects interactive, online resources.  These external pressures will continue to advance, along with the rapid pace of change of technology.

As a Board member, you don't need to know or understand the specific technical details, but you do need to be aware of the implications for Board Governance, especially in key areas of financial oversight and regulatory compliance.  This article is the first in a series that will address each of the four elements highlighted above.

The timing is NOW.  Things are changing and evolving around us, and Boards need to ensure that they understand and are aware of issues that will profoundly affect our Libraries.  One critical issue right now include the proposed Bill 128 in the Ontario Legislature, an amendment to the Public Libraries Act, requiring Libraries to filter and block access to any Internet site or content deemed obscene within the meaning of subsection 163 (8) of the Criminal Code (Canada), and to block access to any form of electronic communications, including electronic e-mail and chat rooms, if the communication could reasonably be expected to expose a minor to any material, including written material, pictures and recordings, that is obscene within the meaning of subsection 163 (8) of the Criminal Code (Canada) or sexually explicit or that constitutes child pornography within the meaning of section 163.1 of the Criminal Code of Canada.

Specifically, the bill, which has had a first reading in the legislature, describes Board level responsibilities pertaining to blocking access to certain materials and monitoring access by minors.  The legislation, while probably well intentioned, raises serious concerns about just how far the Library can or should go in terms of censorship as well as infringing on the principle of intellectual freedom.  (More on this issue in another article).

In the meantime, Board members need to start asking questions, educating themselves and determining their positions on key I.T. related issues.  This is essential both for issues specific to their individual Libraries, but also for public Libraries in Ontario.

The time is NOW!

You can view the IT Governance presentation slides on the OLA web site.