8.

COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE

TORONTO PUBLIC LIBRARY BOARD MEETING – April 30, 2018

It is recommended that the Toronto Public Library Board:

1. receives Communication (a) from Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library to The Honourable , Minister of Finance, dated March 20, 2018, expressing support for the Library Association’s and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries’ budget request to the Ontario provincial government, for information.

2. receives Communication (b) from Michael Shiravand to Toronto Public Library Board members, dated March 26, 2018 regarding a meeting room booking at the Fairview Branch on March 23 and 24, 2018, and requests the City Librarian to respond, incorporating the following points:

a) The Library learned on the evening of the first booking that the event was attracting protesters who objected to the presence of Dr. Abdolkarim Soroush. At the March 23rd event, some of the protesters entered the event, attempting to disrupt it. Police maintained order.

b) The Library takes the concerns raised very seriously and assessed the situation from a legal, library and public perspective. The purpose of the event was a lecture about Iranian studies by a visiting international scholar. A staff member monitored both events and confirmed the content of the events was consistent with the purpose of the booking. It was confirmed the organizers of the event agreed to the terms and conditions as set out in the booking contract.

c) Dr. Soroush is described as an Islamic scholar, intellectual and a former professor of at the University of and Imam Khomeini International University. Investigations indicated Dr. Soroush has been a visiting scholar in the United States with affiliations at Princeton, Yale and Harvard Universities and has been an invited guest speaker at the London School of Economics. Dr. Soroush was in Canada legally and has a history of speaking internationally.

Communications 1

d) It is determined the event bookings with Dr. Soroush as a guest speaker was in compliance with the law and the Library’s Community and Event Space Rental Policy and Rules of Conduct. To deny access to booking library space for an event on the basis of the views or opinions of those who oppose Dr. Soroush contravenes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the principles of intellectual freedom, both cornerstones of the Library’s mission and values.

e) In making this decision, the Library took the concerns expressed about these bookings very seriously and took the necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the public and staff were not compromised.

Communications 2 a. www.torontopubliclibrary.ca

March 20, 2018

The Honourable Charles Sousa Minister of Finance Province of Ontario 7th Floor, Frost Building South 7 Queen’s Park Crescent Toronto, Ontario M7A 1Y7

Dear Minister Sousa:

The Ontario Library Association (OLA) and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries (FOPL) have submitted a budget request to the Ontario provincial government for sustainable, predictable funding for all public libraries and First Nations libraries across Ontario by increasing annual base funding from $33 million to $50 million – an increase of $17 million in annual funding. Currently, the Toronto Public Library receives $4.1 million in annual operating funds, which has been flat- lined since the 1990’s.

In addition, OLA and FOPL have requested $25 million in annual funding for the development and implementation of Ontario’s Digital Library. This initiative will support the development of digital content and make additional resources available to Ontarians.

The Toronto Public Library urges the Province of Ontario to:  recognize the contribution of public libraries within their communities and to cease the 20- year budget freeze in public library funding;  reinstate adequate and appropriate funding for public libraries, increasing each year going forward in line with the consumer price index; and  dedicate $25 million in annual funding for the development and implementation of Ontario’s Digital Library.

Public libraries provide safe, inclusive and vibrant public spaces that offer digital inclusion, cultural programming and lifelong learning opportunities, where all are welcome to learn, work, connect and collaborate.

Public libraries serve residents and communities in ways no other institution can. They empower Ontarians to thrive in the digital age and global knowledge economy through expanded access to technology, lifelong learning and diverse cultural and leisure experiences, online, in our branches and in the community. No other public institution has the mandate and reach, physical and technical infrastructure, talent and community presence to support digital inclusion and literacy for all. …/2

Office of the City Librarian 789 Yonge Street, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4W 2G8 Tel: 416-393-7032 Fax: 416-393-7083 [email protected]

– 2 –

Public libraries engage with the community and contribute to a culture of economic and social equity by providing free and open access to a diversity of information and resources in a welcoming and safe environment.

Public libraries continue to transform and modernize their services to meet the changing needs of Ontarians and support provincial initiatives such as poverty reduction, lifelong learning and skill development, local economic development, health literacy, and equitable access to provincial government websites, e-resources and services.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Vickery Bowles City Librarian

/nrm c: Premier Province of Ontario

Minister Tourism, Culture and Sport

Mayor John Tory City of Toronto

Sue Graham-Nutter, Chair Toronto Public Library Board

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