N.L. NDP calls on government for increased library funding as digital usage rises | CBC News

Newfoundland and Labrador’s NDP is giving the provincial government a failing grade for its handling of the public library system, but despite years of frozen funding and rapid inflation, it looks like the libraries’ financial circumstances will stay cool.

NDP leader Jim Dinn released a statement Friday alleging the province had failed the libraries by failing to invest in the service.

“It is time for government to focus on a long-term plan to fund public libraries properly and strengthen the library system for the benefit of everyone in our province,” Dinn said in the statement.

He laid the blame at both current and past Liberal and Conservative governments.

The government has allotted the library $950,000 per year since 2012-2013 to purchase new materials, with no increases to account for inflationary costs.

According to a briefing note prepared for government officials, released via an access-to-information request last month, the cost of books has gone up by approximately 40 per cent over the past decade.

And while funding hasn’t increased, digital library use shot up 70 per cent during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, in a emailed statement to CBC News, the Department of Education didn’t say anything about future plans to increase the budget allotted to the public library.

“The department is always open to discussions about potential enhancements to services that ensure libraries provide the materials, information and programs to meet the needs of the public,” read the email.

It said the minister recognized the importance of the libraries and added the department provides the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board with total funding of approximately $12 million annually.

Library grateful

In response to the NDP statement, regional librarian Emma Craig said they’re grateful for the support.

“Obviously, we appreciate being appreciated. We appreciate that there’s a recognition of the value that we provide … to our community,” Craig told CBC News.

She pointed out that prices of everything are going up, which impacts many organizations — including the library — and influences how they spend money.

Craig said she has seen that people are also struggling with the rising cost of living while working with the Library on the Go bus, a project that has teamed up with Food First N.L.’s Food on the Move program,

By using the libraries people are also saving money, said Craig.

The library has way more to offer than just books; there are movies, television shows, games, a seed library and musical instruments available to borrow.

Craig explained they’re able to offer many of these programs on their limited budget through partnerships in the community. For instance, she said the bird watching backpack project started when Nature N.L. reached out to the library to help distribute the backpacks.

People rely on libraries

On Friday morning, the A.C. Hunter Public Library in St. John’s was busy with patrons.

Dana Breckon was weighed down with bags holding books and CDs. Last month she started using the library and is now hooked, she said.

She said she goes to the library to borrow any number of things, from books, to a CD of Ella Fitzgerald music, and movies like Where’s My Goat?

Catherine Safer was also at the library to drop off books. For her, the value of a library is the wide array of services it offers; explaining it’s an essential service that’s free for everyone.

Jessie Meyer said she visits the library several times a month and when she can’t get there in person, she uses the digital app Libby.

“I love reading and obviously, I don’t have enough money to buy every book I would like to read, so that’s a huge bonus,” said Meyer.

“Just having access to a bunch of knowledge that you might not otherwise have access to I think is really important.”

All three said that funding should be increased.

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