Anti-Racism Committee Terms of Reference - Ontario Library Association

Anti-Racism Committee

Terms of Reference

Mandate

The OLA Anti-Racism Committee will serve as the primary team that supports the OLA Inclusive Librarianship Study through the Association’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Consultant, Lisa MacVicar, for the fiscal year 2023-24 and 2024-25. The committee will provide feedback and help inform the Consultant’s work, as she develops an anti-racism strategy for OLA, including a final report to the Board early in Fall 2025.

Responsibilities and Deliverables

In order to fulfil this purpose, the Committee has been given the mandate to:

Support the work of the Consultant by attending meetings, providing continuous feedback, and informing on the state of the library sector.
- - The Consultant’s scope of work is as follows:
    - - Apply research and assessments to better understand the sector’s current state and membership.
      - Training for the OLA to gain anti-racism/EDI understanding and competency.
      - Assess efficacy of OLA’s current EDI initiatives and practices.
      - Develop a 1-year and 4-year EDI plan that is concrete, actionable, and measurable.
      - Provide a range of perspectives at different levels of the Association (i.e., board, staff, or association member) to inform the development of an anti-racism strategy for OLA.
Attend and actively participate in meetings with the Consultant, as needed.
Offer continuous feedback and provide information, as requested.
Participate in a one-time 3-hour workshop with the Consultant to formulate an anti-racism plan framework, its content, and performance metrics.
Advise on the development of a 1-year and 4-year EDI plan that is concrete, actionable and measurable.
Review and provide feedback on the study at each stage of research, analysis, and reporting.
Support the success of Strategic Plan Goals, specifically,
- - 3.2 Create Value. Build Belonging: Advance OLA’s Inclusive Librarianship efforts to identify existing barriers to participation faced by Indigenous, Black, People of Colour and other marginalized people in the Ontario library community.

Composition

The Board will appoint:

no less than three (3) and no more than six (6) members to sit as active members of this committee.
The OLA President is ex-officio on all Board committees.
The Executive Director or staff designate will act as the staff liaison for this committee, having no vote, but providing guidance and resources.
At no time should the Board membership on this committee exceed 50% of overall membership (Board quorum).
When deliberations are being made for Board appointments, a diverse complement will always be the goal. This includes voice, region, or sector represented.

Qualifications

OLA members who have an interest in a leadership role in library advocacy;
Candidates will ideally have advocacy experience, which may include: knowledge of current and systemic issues that affect libraries; experience with government relations and public policy; development of communication strategies; and, expertise in social media, online engagement and new media technologies. While previous experience is not mandatory, a passion for advocacy is required.

Resources and Budget

This committee has access to funds which are defined in the Board approved annual budget. All financial management will be conducted for the Committee by the Director of Operations. Should a need arise, the Committee Chair may provide a request for staff support through the staff liaison to the Committee. The Committee Chair may present said requests forward to the Board if the need surpasses availability funds or budget lines.

Expectations & Timelines

Each committee member plays an important role in helping the group fulfill its purpose and support the broader goals of the organization. Members are asked to:

Contribute their knowledge, experience, and unique perspective to the committee’s work.
Collaborate with fellow members to help achieve the committee’s mandate as set by the Board.
Participate actively in meetings where quorum is present and contribute thoughtfully to discussions and decisions.
Work within the mandate of the Committee and reach out to the Executive Director or Board President if clarification is ever needed.
Review the meeting agenda package prior to each meeting, and come prepared to engage in meaningful conversation and decision-making. Agendas will be shared at least five business days in advance.
Make every effort to attend scheduled meetings, and notify the Chair in advance if unable to attend, to help manage quorum and rescheduling needs.
Follow through on action items by agreed-upon deadlines to support the committee’s momentum and respect everyone’s time.
Foster a respectful and inclusive environment for all members, and follow the OLA Code of Conduct (G2.2 Code of Conduct Policy and Procedures)
Support the collective decisions of the committee, even if individual viewpoints might differ.

This Committee will meet virtually as often as is necessary to complete the project.

Committee members can expect to meet virtually (via Zoom) every other month throughout the duration of the project, for a total of approximately 5-6 times a year. Meeting dates and times will be influenced by staff availability and the OLA calendar of events.
As a Committee of the Board, the President may also call a committee meeting to address pressing business to the Board.
Additionally, the Committee Chair (and possible other members) will be expected to make at least an annual report to the Board, more as required.

Type of Committee

Ad Hoc:

The Committee will continue to meet for the duration of the task or project assigned to them by the Ontario Library Association Board of Directors. Upon completion of the project, a final report will be submitted to the Board and the Committee will sunset.

Term of Appointment

The term for OLA Advocacy Committee members generally runs for a period of 3 years, with the option to extend up to an additional 2 years at the discretion of the OLA Board. Member terms overlap to ensure knowledge transfer and consistency. Committee members are recruited from the OLA membership at large, as required. Co-Chairs will be appointed annually from within the committee, for a staggered term of 2 years. Co-chairs are responsible for coordinating the agenda, facilitating meetings, ensuring portfolios are assigned, liaising with the OLA Executive Director (or designate) and reporting to the OLA Board.

Updated: May 2025