(File photo/paNOW staff)

By Ben Tompkins

Saskatchewan Library Association

Saskatchewan Library Week held October 17-23

Oct 20, 2021 | 7:07 PM

Saskatchewan Library Week (SLW) is a province-wide, annual event, which promotes the wonderful resources and services that libraries have to offer. Saskatchewan Library Week is celebrated throughout the province in all types of libraries, in both urban and rural communities and by all age groups.

The Saskatchewan Library Association (SLA) has proudly presented this week long celebration since 1976. In 2016, the Saskatchewan Library Association marked the 40th anniversary of sponsoring SLW. The theme for Saskatchewan Library Week this year is Saskatchewan Libraries Rise Above.

Saskatchewan Library Association President, Amy Rankin, told northeastNOW this week is used to celebrate all of the hard work that both libraries and staff do every day of the year.

“This is a week that is designated to celebrate libraries and library workers and the amazing contribution that they make to our communities and our province and in academic centres and workplaces as well,” Rankin said. “The Saskatchewan Government proclaims Saskatchewan Library Week to create an awareness of the role that libraries play in the cultural, economic, educational and recreational development of our province and our communities as a whole.”

“Library week encourages literacy, brings cultural awareness and this year’s theme is Libraries Rise Above,” Rankin said. “It reflects the creativity and flexibility of libraries, library workers and their ability to adapt to changing times and needs.”

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Along with the celebration and awareness, the SLA produced a video project, because of their unability to gather these past two years. In a press release sent out they said, despite the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic, SLA is still offering grants of $250 to member libraries, but at the moment we are unsure as to whether in-person gatherings will be possible. In light of this situation, SLA will be offering a number of 45-minute videos created to spark interest in a new skill, a different author, or to engage with a new idea. Libraries will be able to share the videos with their patrons in their physical space if they are open, or through their website and social media pages.

Rankin said that although this programming is available to every library and every member of the general public, that many libraries have decided to put on their own form of programming that is more tailored to their community.

“A lot of the programming put on by the local libraries, they’re doing it on their own,” Rankin said. “They may be taking from the videos we’ve put out there, but there’s also a lot of great libraries and staff that are creating programming and events that have specific meaning in their communities.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8