Provincial budget cuts to libraries across Saskatchewan were the focal point of a protest that took place outside Battlefords MLA Herb Cox’s office Friday.
The protest was titled “Drop Everything and Read,” and took place at Cox’s 100th Street office over the noon hour.
About 150 people gathered outside to read books, unfurl banners and voice their opposition to the provincial budget. Supporters of Lakeland Library and North Battleford Public Library were on hand. They even brought along Kirby the Penguin, stuffed animal mascot of North Battleford library, who was shown holding up a couple of signs protesting the budget cuts.
Supporters also were able to go inside the MLA’s office where they signed a petition trying to reverse the budget cuts.
The rally was one of around 70 similar “Drop Everything and Read” rallies happening across Saskatchewan that day, with the rallies staged mainly at MLAs offices.
In the budget handed down by Kevin Doherty, funding to regional libraries is going down by $3.5 million while funding for Regina and Saskatoon public libraries is being eliminated, a $1.3 million reduction.
Christine Freethy, founder of a Facebook page called Save Saskatchewan’s Libraries, said that her Facebook group has 4,000 members and generated 5,000 emails that week alone to the minister of Education and to MLAs.
Freethy said the cut libraries are facing is drastic.
“The Wall government cut funding to regional libraries by 58 per cent,” said Freethy. “Yet they are insisting magically that services are maintained at the same level.”
She said the impact to libraries is already being felt.
“The one card, one province system has already been disbanded and interlibrary loans have already been suspended due to a lack of funds. Furthermore, there will be branch cuts, service cuts and no new materials will be purchased. The impact will be devastating to the library system of Saskatchewan.”
Freethy was also skeptical of Education Minister Don Morgan’s recent pronouncements that he doesn’t want interlibrary loans to be cut.
“He said he doesn’t want services to be cut, but he has no intention of reinstating the funding. So it’s a bit like saying ‘I love electricity, but I have no intention of paying my electricity bill.’”
As for what might come out of the protests, Freethy is hoping for two things — one being a reversal of the budget decision, but the second was that “it’s very important that the Sask. Party understand these people have no intention of forgetting about this by the next election.”
