Public libraries are facing an uncertain future after receiving a hefty cut in the provincial budget on Wednesday, where the regional library systems were cut by 58 per cent.
In information provided by Southeast Regional Library, they will need an increase in their per capita grant of $5.77 from the municipalities in the southeast to make up for the substantial cut, “in order to preserve rural public library services”.
For towns and RMs, their per capita rate currently is $11.01, and for Weyburn and Estevan, the rates are $33.39 per capita, so this “would be a very significant increase” if it was allowed by the member library boards, said James Richards, regional branch manager.
The cut to the regional library systems is doubly-hard, added Richards, because the cuts are retroactive to January 1, and they are almost to the end of the first quarter, operating on the assumption they were still going to receive the same funding, but they are already down 17 per cent “because we didn’t know it was coming.”
The regional library will be holding their annual meeting in Weyburn on Saturday, April 8, where they hope there will be representatives from the member municipalities so they can discuss where they go from here, whether to maintain current support, pay a portion or to cut it altogether.
Richards said the impact if the regional library had to close would be drastic for services to all libraries, large and small, and for a branch like the Weyburn Public Library, for example, the regional library office would have to be closed and the payroll turned over to the City of Weyburn. If the city is already dealing with their own cost reductions, they aren’t going to want to take on the library also as a facility, said Richards.
The list of services that would be lost if the regional library is closed is quite extensive, and would include no new materials, no ability to transfer books or other items between library branches, no province-wide integrated computer system (as currently exists), no coordination of literacy programs such as the summer reading program, no payroll system, no IT support for staff, no guidance or support to local library boards, and no training or supervision for local branch staff.
In support of public libraries, a “Read In” will be taking place at MLA offices across the province on Friday, April 7. All residents of Saskatchewan who value their public library are encouraged to gather outside their MLA’s office and read a book for 15 minutes, preferably near the noon hour.
This peaceful, non-political rally is to ask the provincial government to reconsider its cuts to public libraries and re-fund the library systems. Residents who cannot readily make it to an MLA’s office, may host an event at their local library or other public space and send photos of the event to their local MLA.
For more information on this peaceful protest and how you can get involved and organize a local “Read-In” near you if there isn’t one already, connect on Facebook at the “Drop Everything And Read SK Libraries” page or “Support Saskatchewan Public Libraries” group.
