WHEREAS the Library Act forbids the payment of per diem to Library Trustees for attendance at Library Board meetings, etc.; AND WHEREAS this causes some Trustees to be unable to attend some functions and also causes some hardships to local government: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities forward this matter to the Minister of Community, Aboriginal and Womens Services asking that the Library Act be changed to allow Library Boards to pay trustees a meeting stipend over and above their travel expenses.
MINISTRY OF COMMUNITY, ABORIGINAL AND WOMENS SERVICES Following an extensive consultation process with the public library community and UBCM, the Ministry released a strategic plan for public libraries, Libraries Without Walls: The World Within Your Reach - A Vision for Public Libraries in British Columbia, in November 2004. The strategic plan identifies strategies to support public libraries as they encounter the opportunities and challenges posed by our modern society. One of these strategies is to review the current legislative framework to support more flexible service delivery. The issue raised by this resolution may be considered as part of that process.