Assiniboia and District Public Library patrons were left fuming over the 58 per cent cut to the province鈥檚 regional library system in the March 22 budget. The government has slashed funding to $3.48 million to the seven regional library systems and cut a $1.3 million operating grant to the municipal library systems in Regina and Saskatoon.
The districts had received $6 million in funding last year. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an attack on rural Saskatchewan,鈥� declared the annual general meeting of the Assiniboia and District Public Library board on March 30.
The cuts were at the top of the agenda for the board鈥檚 annual meeting. Assiniboia and surrounding communities are part of the Palliser Regional Library which has 20 branches throughout south-central Saskatchewan. The province has seven regional public library districts as well as the Saskatoon and Regina library systems and the northern system. Each district has between 20 to 55 branches. There are 324 public libraries in Saskatchewan. Regional libraries are funded by a municipal levy.
Palliser Regional Library issued a statement on its website detailing the impact of the cuts. For example, there will be no new books, DVDs and other materials purchased, no interlibrary loans, no digital resources like e-books, digital streaming and the province-wide integrated computer system for rural branches will be shut down among other effects.
Arwen Rudolph, Palliser Regional Library鈥檚 Rural Branch supervisor, sent a letter to all Palliser patrons of the digital Hoopla service. The library can no longer afford to pay for this service after the cuts.
Assiniboia and District Public Library patrons and supporters are upset about the cuts, saying it impacts literacy and learning for everybody. 鈥淲e need our libraries and they benefit people worldwide,鈥� library patron Janice Todd noted.
