During the Union of BC Municipalities convention I attend Ministerial meetings in support of my local government colleagues. This year, the District of Central Saanich coordinated a meeting with the Minister of Education Hon. Rob Fleming, and Greater Victoria Public Library Chief Administrative Officer, Maureen Sawa.
The meeting was part of a coordinated campaign by library trustees and administrators and local elected officials to encourage the provincial government to increase the funding of the library system across the province.
During my time as a District Councillor I was the GVPL trustee on behalf of Central Saanich. In the six years since then the base funding for libraries has not changed. In Budget 2009/10 the then BC Liberal Government cut the funding from $17 – $14 million annually. It has been stuck there ever since. This backgrounder provides a succinct description of the funding challenges.
Had the funding remained and adding the rate of inflation in the ensuing years (approximately 16%) the annual budget for libraries would be slightly better than $20 million. Therefore, the provincial library system and local governments are hoping the province will support a $6 million increase in Budget 2020.
Libraries: Services people count on
Perhaps we thought that a transition to the digital world would mean the analog book would disappear, rendering library funding unnecessary. However, libraries offer critically important services, information and materials in our communities, including free access to books, digital materials, computers and space for community programming. The problem with stagnating budgets is that library collections need to be renewed and kept up-to-date and capital investments in buildings need to made to ensure facilities meet the basic needs. As a result of the cuts our libraries are falling behind.
The BC NDP have oft-repeated that their program is based on a commitment to “make life more affordable, deliver services people count on, and build a strong sustainable economy.” Libraries are no doubt one of the great equalizing resources in our modern society where new and life-long residents, youth and elders gather. The doors are open equally to people from across the social and economic strata. In many communities, the library is the cornerstone of the downtown and a key contributor to social and economic revitalization.
The BC Green Caucus strongly supports the 20 by 2020 initiative and we encourage the BC NDP to make this investment in our library system a priority in their next budget. If you also support investing in libraries please let me know. Send me an email to Adam.Olsen.MLA@leg.bc.ca and make sure you copy Minister Fleming at EDUC.Minister@gov.bc.ca and the Minister of Finance Carole James at FIN.Minister@gov.bc.ca.
I think our Library on Salt Spring Is doing a fantastic our community. They go far beyond just lending books. At the United Church here we have an Indigenous Author Book Study Group, which has a broad based membership here. We have been using the inter-Library Loans to help us find enough copies of the book we are currently studying, to make our group work effectively . It is really appreciated.
We are currently reading ” Two Houses Half Buried in Sand” Edited and compiled by Chris Arnett. He is going to come and lead our discussion.
Excellent. I believe our libraries are absolutely doing the best they can. Unfortunately the funding has restricted their ability to serve everyone they should be serving. That is why we are asking the government to expand their funding for libraries.
Thank you for your comment!
Adam