Community engagement provides everyone with the opportunity to shape service design and delivery at the Kingston Frontenac Public Library (“the Library”). Intentional and constructive dialogue with the community collaborators is integral to the process of allocating existing resources and advocating for required funding.
1. Definitions
“The community” and “collaborators” are used to broadly reference the individuals, groups, agencies, organizations, businesses, schools, funding bodies, and others in Kingston-Frontenac who are affected by or have an interest in the outcome of a project or initiative.
2. Guiding Principles
The Library is committed to creating opportunities for meaningful engagement, and will:
- Allocate sufficient resources to sustain a consistent, coordinated, and outcomes-centred approach to engaging the community.
- Ensure meaningful opportunities exist to influence Library decisions, and be open about decisions processes, procedures, considerations, and limitations.
- Improve understanding of the factors that drive Library decision-making and why community participation is important.
- Ensure that Library-led engagement activities are accessible, inclusive, transparent, accountable, and foster an atmosphere of mutual respect.
- Encourage broad participation and prioritize accessibility by utilizing a variety of engagement tools and practices.
- Build connections outside of the formal engagement process with agencies and groups that work with underserved or underrepresented populations to facilitate meaningful inclusion of these voices.
- Communicate public engagement opportunities in a timely and publicly accessible manner that clearly identifies the purpose, limitations, and the community’s role.
- Report on feedback received and outcomes at key stages of the process.
- Evaluate the engagement process and outcomes to refine and improve future engagement efforts.
3. Scope of Application
Generally, the Library will engage the community to:
- Identify community needs and interests.
- Inform the creation of a new policy, program, service, or space.
- Evaluate an existing policy, program, service, or space.
- Fulfill a Library Board resolution or legislated requirement.
- Respond to a community-led request.
The Library will not engage the community on:
- Matters of immediate public safety.
- Legislated changes from other levels of government.
- Decisions with limited community interest or decisions that are driven by factors like funding.
4. Communication and Reporting
Engagement opportunities will be shared with the community through a variety of methods (e.g., website, newsletters, social media, in-branch information), and will use plain language to clearly explain:
- Why community engagement is needed, what is being considered, and how the decision will be made.
- How community engagement will inform the decision-making process.
- The overall engagement timeline and details of the engagement activities.
- Any constraints or limitations affecting the final decision (e.g., budget, legislation).
The Library will report back to the community at key stages of the process outlining the feedback received and how community input was used to inform the outcome.
5. Document Control
Original Policy Date: 2017 March
Last Reviewed: 2025 April
Changes Made: see report to Board dated April 23, 2025
Next Review: 2026 April
