Oakville Public Library Board Meeting Review

The Oakville Public Library Board reviewed budget timing, workplace safety, service agreements and early use of the new 16 Mile Branch. The 2027 budget is expected to return to the board before being presented to Town Council, with approval anticipated by Dec. 10. The board also received updates on the Central Library project, newspaper digitization and community outreach, and directed staff to report on the park-pass waitlist process.

Topics Discussed

Budget timing and municipal election

The library's 2027 budget approval schedule remains tied to the municipal election and the composition of the next council.

"Until we have the election and we know what our council looks like and what our mayor looks like, it's hard to predict what the budget schedule is going to be."

The budget is expected to return to the library board before being presented to Town Council. Approval is anticipated between the meeting and Dec. 10.

Workplace safety and incidents at library branches

The board reviewed a health and safety report recording 20 incidents in 2026 to date. Reported incidents were up 43% from the previous year and 186% from two years earlier, including five incidents in September.

The report attributed the increase partly to more consistent reporting of minor injuries and to the opening of the 16 Mile Branch. About 60% of cases required only basic first aid. Reported examples included cuts, moving carts and an electrical shock from a toaster oven. The Joint Health and Safety Committee continues to review incidents.

16 Mile Branch usage and programming

The six-month report described the 16 Mile Branch as a destination for work, study, meetings and family activities.

"Customers are routinely spending their day there for work, study, meetings, and family activities. They're staying for extended periods of time."

Meeting rooms are in regular demand for meetings, study groups and tutoring. The Children's Discovery Zone received an 87.5% satisfaction rating during summer programming.

Staff are adjusting seating, shelving, program times and wayfinding based on patron use. Creation-space equipment installation was completed between April and August, with a full launch planned for October.

Staff will also examine usage patterns and patron postal codes to assess how the branch serves surrounding neighbourhoods and recreation-centre users. The report found that the new branch has not reduced demand at Glen Abbey branch.

Service agreements, chargebacks and financial controls

The board reviewed service-level agreements covering Town of Oakville support for library operations. The proposed revisions largely update language without changing service levels.

The agreements clarify that Parks and Open Space and Fleet Services charge the library for certain maintenance work, including branch grounds and library-owned vehicles. Trustees also discussed the library's policy independence, its use of town software for payroll and accounting, and controls over accounts payable and spending approvals.

The library maintains its own human-resources department but uses town systems for payroll, accounting and recruitment.

Revisions to the Financial Services agreement will clarify human-resources software terminology and financial-system permissions before a formal vote. Facilities and IT agreements, including response-time and escalation requirements, will be presented later.

Central Library project and other community updates

Design changes have expanded the planned Central Library from approximately 47,000 square feet to 55,000 square feet. The former parking-garage basement is being redesigned for quiet study space.

"The scope of that project has shifted. And it likely means that we will have to go back to council as part of their financial control policy because that scope has moved from approximately 47,000 square feet to 55,000 square feet."

Because of the scope change, the project must return to Town Council under the town's financial control policy. Construction documents, originally targeted for completion by the end of 2026, are now expected in the second quarter of 2027.

The newspaper digitization project has completed scanning and is undergoing data cleanup, with a public launch planned for early 2027. Summer ambassadors attended 88 community events and reached nearly 6,000 residents.

Motions

• Confirmation of Sept. 17, 2026, meeting minutes: Carried.
• Employee Retention and Turnover Metrics Report: Carried.
• Service Level Agreements and deposit-account items: Receipt moved by Rod and seconded by Avis; carried.
• 16 Mile Branch Six-Month Impact Report: Received for discussion. Further third-quarter performance metrics are to follow.
• Confidential Contractual Matter Report dated Oct. 15, 2026: Received in open session; the board did not move into closed session.
• Park Pass Waitlist Process: Carried, directing staff to report on the current waitlist process and suggestions submitted by a resident. The report is expected at the Dec. 10 meeting.
• Outside legal review of Service Level Agreements: The board decided not to retain outside legal counsel because the proposed updates were considered minor.

Attendees

• Councillor Ray Chisholm
• Councillor Peter Longo
• Councillor Nav Nanda
• Councillor Jonathan McNeice
• Councillor Cathy Duddeck
• Councillor Marc Grant
• Councillor Janet Haslett-Theall
• Councillor Natalia Lishchyna
• Councillor Jeff Knoll
• Councillor Allan Elgar
• Councillor Dave Gittings
• Councillor Sean O'Meara
• Councillor Rob Burton