AGM:2005

RESOLUTION 1
Whereas United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has identified information literacy as critical to bridging the digital divide; and

Whereas studies have demonstrated a relationship between library instruction and student achievement; and

Whereas adequate access to information includes an understanding of how to recognize, gather, evaluate and use information effectively; and

Whereas all people have a right to education that teaches them the literacy skills required to shape their own lives and contribute to society; and

Whereas information literacy is a crucial competency in the information society; and

Whereas despite the importance of information literacy to society and the increasing demand for library instruction in Canadian libraries, not all Canadian graduate programs in library and information studies have courses devoted to library instruction and information literacy in their curricula, and those courses are electives only;

Be it resolved that the CLA include Information Literacy in its priorities, and commit to advocating for the importance of information literacy with appropriate national and regional associations/institutions; and

Be it further resolved that CLA formally encourage graduate programs in library and information studies to incorporate courses in library instruction and information literacy into their curricula; and

Be it further resolved that the CLA encourage all libraries to develop information literacy programs to better serve their user communities.

MOVED: Lisa Sloniowski
SECONDED: Adam Taves
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 2
Whereas Industry Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development Canada are to be thanked and congratulated on the Community Access Program (CAP) which has been an unqualified success in connecting all Canadians with their world, and Canadian governments with their citizens, and in building information capital and intellectual infrastructure for the Knowledge Economy; and

Whereas libraries and their community partners and peers have developed this government initiative to the point where the CAP is now recognized as providing a central and essential knowledge service, with a corresponding increase incurred in demand on staff, facilities, and operating budgets at CAP sites;

Be it resolved that the Canadian Library Association urge the federal government to renew CAP and/or to establish a funding program at the 2002-2003 level to maintain the current CAP success; and to assist the recipient libraries, agencies and organizations to position CAP sites as sites of community development through which to apply and exploit the new knowledge capabilities learned through the first stage of the program.

MOVED: Sandy Cameron
SECONDED: Peggy Walshe
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 3
Whereas access to accurate health information is essential to the well-being of Canadians; and

Whereas the Canadian Health Libraries Association (CHLA) is looking to develop a National Network of Libraries of Health (NNLH) incorporating best practices and characteristics found in the United States and United Kingdom health library and information networks;

Be it resolved that CLA endorse and support the efforts of the NNLH in its advocacy and awareness efforts, including as appropriate utilizing CLA’s communication media, to enhance knowledge of the National Network.

MOVED: Peggy Walshe
SECONDED: Marco Adria
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 4a
Whereas connecting users with the information they need is one of a library’s most essential functions, and access to information is one of librarianship’s most cherished values; and

Whereas scholars and funders of research desire to share their research results and enhance the impact of their research; and

Whereas the scholarly publishing industry has been experiencing a cycle of price increases above inflation rates, leading to library cancellations, leading to further price increases, and so forth, with no relief in sight, and has thus negatively impacted access to research; and

Whereas the Open Access alternative involves making peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles freely available over the web through open access journals and/or author self-archiving; and

Whereas the concept of Open Access can be applied to other types of materials besides scholarly journal articles, for example government publications and digital collections; and

Whereas Canadian librarians and faculty are leaders in the Open Access movement, as exemplified by the Public Knowledge Project at the University of British Columbia (UBC), and the participation of the Canadian Association of Research Libraries (CARL) in the Scholarly Publishing and Research Coalition (SPARC); and

Whereas the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) and the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) have declared support for Open Access;

Be it resolved that the CLA formally declare its commitment to Open Access by signing the Budapest Open Access Initiative, and the Berlin Declaration on Open Access to Knowledge in the Sciences and Humanities.

MOVED: Heather Morrison
SECONDED: Margaret Ann Wilkinson
CARRIED

Resolution 4b
Be it resolved that CLA implement Open Access as expeditiously as possible and CLA Executive Council report back to the next Annual General Meeting with regards to progress.

MOVED: Heather Morrison
SECONDED: Margaret Wilkinson
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 5
Whereas the CLA Annual General Meeting (AGM) is the primary opportunity for the CLA membership to express its priorities for the direction of the Canadian Library Association; and

Whereas the CLA Executive Council is to be congratulated for publishing a partial review of work done to implement resolutions between 2000-2004; and

Whereas a number of resolutions have been passed at the CLA AGM from 2002-2004 on a range of important topics including media concentration, lawful access, the USA PATRIOT Act and others and are not included in the published review; and

Whereas the CLA Executive Council has not implemented these and other AGM resolutions over the past three years; and

Whereas the source of CLA resolutions is often CLA committees and interest groups; and

Whereas CLA has recognized the importance of the volunteer work accomplished by the many committee and interest group members; and

Whereas the CLA Executive Council has not made it an apparent priority to support and strengthen the committee and interest group membership structure and encourage the participation of new CLA members;

Be it resolved that the CLA Executive Council report back at each successive AGM on the work accomplished in fulfilling all AGM resolutions adopted in the previous year and that at the 2006 AGM the CLA Executive Council report back on the work accomplished in fulfilling all the resolutions adopted from 2002; and

Be it further resolved that the CLA Executive Council make a priority in 2005-2006 the building and strengthening of the CLA committees and interest groups, especially welcoming and mentoring of new CLA members; and

Be it further resolved that the CLA Executive Council relax committee membership requirements with a view to welcoming all interested individuals.

MOVED: Brian Campbell
SECONDED: Heather Morrison
DEFEATED

RESOLUTION 6
Whereas, in 2004 the Canadian Library Association created a Working Group to Define a National Network for Equitable Library Service; and

Whereas, the Working Group has produced a draft report, “Opening the Book: A Strategy for a National Network for Equitable Public Library Service for Canadians with Print Disabilities” for consultation at this conference;

Be it resolved that CLA support the development of a national network by:

• Publishing “Opening the Book” in regular print and alternative formats;
• Expanding its advocacy program with the federal government to include funding and support for the implementation of the national network;
• Participating in the development and implementation of a communications plan to promote awareness of the national network within the library community and end user community, and within the federal political arena in light of the upcoming election;
• Supporting Library and Archives Canada in the development of the business plan required to secure federal government funds for the purpose of creating and sustaining the national network.

MOVED: Beth Barlow
SECONDED: Karen Harrison
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 7
Whereas the Federal Government is committed to introducing significant changes to the Copyright Act relating to the dissemination of digital content; and

Whereas these changes to the Act have the potential to unduly constrain how individuals and the libraries and educational institutions which serve them are able to use digital content; and

Whereas national library, archive, education, and museum associations participating in the Copyright Forum have initiated advocacy campaigns targeting MPs and their individual memberships;

Be it resolved that CLA initiate a library copyright advocacy campaign which communicates the implications of the pending legislative changes and which urges that libraries and their users communicate their concerns to the Federal Government; and

Be it further resolved that other library, bibliographical and information associations in the country be encouraged to join in this campaign; and

Be it further resolved that the campaign include an advocacy tool kit to support libraries and their users in expressing their concerns, and other appropriate tactics which may include a postcard campaign targeting the Prime Minister, and a petition which could be directed to the Ministers of Canadian Heritage and Industry, the Parliamentary Committees dealing with the legislation and local MPs as appropriate; and

Be it further resolved that the advocacy campaign be launched following the next Federal election.

MOVED: Paul Whitney
SECONDED: Olivier Charbonneau
CARRIED

RESOLUTION 8
Be it resolved that thanks and appreciation be extended to the Canadian Library Association (CLA) Program Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, staff and those many individuals, groups, institutions, government departments, sponsors and companies whose efforts and generosity have greatly contributed to the success of the 2005 CLA conference.

MOVED: Stephen Abram
SECONDED: Barbara Clubb
CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY