By Sarah Wallace

Cuts to library funding done ‘with no notice or consultation’

Mar 24, 2017 | 2:00 PM

Cuts to provincial funding have left regional library officials caught off guard, without clear plans for the future.

According to Cheryl Bauer-Hyde, chair of the Wapiti Regional Library, funding has been cut by $3.5 million.

“Without a transitional plan, without transitional funding, with no notice or consultation [the provincial government] reduced funding by 60 per cent,” Bauer-Hyde said.

She said the library has no idea how the decrease in funding will impact services at their branches. She said everything is on the table from branch closures, staff reductions, or reduced services, adding provincial grants allowed the libraries to pay for staff and all acquisitions of material.

Bauer-Hyde was also concerned about a program allowing library users to borrow books, order DVDs and drop off items anywhere in the province. A portion of the funding for this program was part of the provincial cuts.

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On April 29, the Wapiti Regional Library board will come together and bring forward recommendations on how the library can manage the funding decrease. Bauer-Hyde said they will have a better idea then how the cuts will affect the library and its branches.

At this point Bauer-Hyde isn’t sure if any of their branches will be forced to close.

“There’s seven regions in the province that are impacted …we’ll be going to the municipalities because if we want to retain any sort of system we would need to be looking for increased municipal funding as well,” she said.

The library will also be looking for leadership from SARM and SUMA to help consult with their constituents.  

swallace@panow.com

On Twitter: @sarahthesquid