Libraries face tough cuts from governments

Ken Johnston

Small libraries, like Rainy River’s Public Library, work hard to do a lot with very little.
Recently RR Librarian Penny Shumaker was upset by an announcement from Canada Post that the special postal rate for interlibary lending would be eliminated.
While that announcement would have seen postal rates per book go from just under a dollar to as high as about $20, Shumaker and libraries across the country breathed a sigh of relief when the federal government announced on July 22nd that the program will continue beyond next March.
Barbara Clubb, president of the Canadian Library Association (CLA) said, “That is good news and we plan to be at the bargain table when the government works out the terms of the new program with Canada Post.”
Had the program been cancelled it could have crippled the inter-library loans program. Last year Rainy River library users received 225 books via the program. “If the postal rates went really high, most libraries could not afford to participate,” said Shumaker.
President Clubb who is a librarian at the Ottawa City Library said her library spends about $12,000 per year on the program. “If that went up by 7 to 12 times we could not afford it.”
Shumaker also noted that funding for the Ontario Library Service was recently cut forcing the closure of OLS’s Thunder Bay office. Now consultants from Sudbury have to serve the entire western portion of Ontario. “We felt isolated before, how does the government think we feel now?”
Clubb echoed Shumaker’s sentiments noting that they are working on trying to get the Ontario Ministry of Culture and Communications to restore funding to the Ontario Library Service so consultants can be located closer to Northwest libraries.
Clubb also said the Community Internet Access Program is also set to expire next spring. However, Clubb said CLA is working with the federal government to get the program renewed and has getting positive feedback from them. Rainy River’s library serves as a public internet access venue.