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Libraries call for lift on funding freeze and more accountability for government funds

Collingwood library joins campaign to push government for more investment in Ontario's public libraries
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Collingwood Public Library Erika Engel/Collingwood Today

The Collingwood Public Library is adding its voice to a campaign petitioning the Ontario government to increase base funding for public and First Nations libraries.

Library funding from the provincial government has been on a steady decline over the past 20 years. In Collingwood, for example, the province funds less than two per cent of the public library operating budget, whereas in 1995, provincial funding accounted for 10 per cent of the budget

“When the province cuts their funding, the municipality has to step up,” said Ken Haigh, CEO of the Collingwood Public Library. “In Collingwood, they have. But in some more rural communities it hasn’t happened so the overall funding in the library has decreased.”

In some cases, it’s forced library closures.

“Insufficient funding an an ineffective, patchwork approach means that many libraries are struggling to keep up, leaving many communities and schools at risk of falling further behind,” states the budget submission put forward by the Ontario Library Association and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries.

The Collingwood library operating budget is more than 90 per cent funded by tax dollars.

“I’m sure the municipality would love to not have to keep putting that money in every year," said Haigh.

In 1995, the Collingwood Public received $52,525 from the provincial government, which represented 9.5 per cent of the operating budget. In 1997, the province cut that amount to $31,340. Since 2000, the Collingwood library has received $32,513 a year, and the grant has been frozen at that level. The operating budget has increased, so the provincial grant represents 1.92 per cent of the library operating budget.

The submission from the library groups suggests Ontario increase its overall public library funding from $33 million to $50 million.

Secondly, the submission calls for the province to once again cover the cost of Ontario’s Digital Library at $25 million in new, annual funding. Until two years ago, Ontario's public libraries had access to online databases for free, now they have to pay a fee for the same access.

Thirdly, the submission calls on the province to mandate the use of funding allocated by the Ministry of Education for school libraries and teacher-librarians for its intended purpose. This already accounts for about $100 million in annual funding that is being doled out via the Ministry of Education, but doesn't necessarily go directly to school libraries.

According to the submission document, 52 per cent of elementary schools have a teacher-librarian (full or part-time), and in Northern Ontario just 11 per cent of elementary schools have a teacher-librarian.

Technically the funding formula for teacher-librarians recommends one elementary teacher-librarian per 763 elementary pupils. However, funding is not currently mandated. According to the Auditor General’s annual report, school boards are failing to report to the Ministry of Education how these allocated funds are being spent, states the library group’s budget submission.

“This dramatic decline in library resources and staff is eroding the impact of the province’s major investments in education, children and youth services, and newcomer and employment supports made during the same period,” states the submission. “Libraries across the province are having to make tough decisions about how they can continue to serve the needs of their community.”

Haigh said it’s important for the province to support public libraries, because the governance of those libraries comes from a provincial level.

“The province is in charge of public libraries across the province, they are governed by the libraries act [which is provincial legislation], said Haigh. “Municipalities are responsible for appointing public library boards, and they have the lion’s share of the responsibility.”

Click here to read the full pre-budget submission by the Ontario Library Association and the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries.

The Collingwood Public Library Board approved a letter in support of the three recommendations made by the library groups at a meeting March 22 and will send the letter to the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, to Collingwood council and to MPP Jim Wilson's office. 

 

            

        


 

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Erika Engel

About the Author: Erika Engel

Erika regularly covers all things news in Collingwood as a reporter and editor. She has 15 years of experience as a local journalist
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