The subject of library funding caused a bit of a stir last week after CBC and Global reported that half of the provincial grant that normally goes to libraries had been frozen until the release of the 2019 budget.
But, as you can discern for yourself by reading our article on Page 10A, the situation isn’t as dire as it seems.
It is true that the Public Libraries Branch of Alberta Municipal Affairs sent out an e-mail last week to Alberta libraries regarding the status of the grant, but it wasn’t to say that half of their funding has been “frozen.”
In fact, the e-mail acknowledged that libraries would normally have received their provincial grant by now, but the Alberta government was holding off on distributing that cash until after the release of the 2019 budget.
Because libraries have to operate in the meantime, the Public Libraries Branch was going to provide them 50 per cent of their normal grant to keep them going.
Looking at it from that perspective, this story can actually be viewed through a positive lens: yes, the province is making libraries wait longer for their money, but because they recognize that situation is untenable for smaller branches in particular, they decided to provide libraries some cash to keep their doors open and the lights on.
It’s hardly an ideal situation, but it’s not the disaster that the provincial media made it out to be.
That said, it’s understandable why we’re all on edge. The United Conservative Party (UCP) are likely taking a very hard look at public spending while preparing the 2019 budget — there is almost certainly going to be some cuts in funding to public institutions.
Libraries are a tempting target for cuts because they’re not an “essential” service like hospitals or schools or police departments. If the Barrhead Public Library shut down tomorrow, the town would continue to function.
But it would nonetheless be a tremendous loss to this community, especially if the economy grows worse.
As library director Elaine Dickie pointed out, public use of the library ebbs and flows with the economy. When times are tight, people try to save money by going to the library to get books, as opposed to buying their own.
Sure, the library charges fees, but the cost of a single adult membership is easily overshadowed by the price tag on a single hardcover book or even two new paperback novels.
When the libraries lose funding, then they have to restrict services, and we know the Barrhead Public Library is already pretty hard up for funds.
The province should keep that in mind when deciding where to make their cuts in the 2019 budget. Yes, we can live without libraries, but it sure makes life harder.
