The Medstead Library is an integral part of the village, providing numerous services to much of the community and the rural municipality.
A 58 per cent budget cut to funding for the Saskatchewan regional public library system was announced March 22. This has locals of all walks of life concerned deeply for the fate of the local library and the deeper impact this may have on the community as a whole.
The town has not stayed silent about this disturbing turn of events. According to the Medstead librarian, Chandra Pederson, a petition to protest these cuts was started by concerned citizen and local library board member, Christine Freethy. The petitions against the budgetary adjustment are made out to the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan and to the minister of Justice. This paper crusade has accrued well over 70 signatures with more being added every day.
Medstead has already seen the beginnings of these financial ramifications. Specifically, on April 10, inter-library loans were lost. This represents loss of the ability to move books among regions of which there are 11 in Saskatchewan. Medstead is one of the 22 branches of the Lakeland region that is seeing a budget cut of $478,000. Further risks of such cutbacks include lack of digital resources and an absence of a province-wide integrated computer system for libraries.
Additional damage from massive budget reductions can impact the ability to purchase and process new materials and even go so far as to cause rural branch library closures.
Local concern is high as the Medstead Library provides critical services for the municipality. In addition to the Internet and printing services offered, the library has hosted many seminars including first aid and more than a handful of card-making courses. Several other events have become iconic to the community.
The Medstead Library hosts the annual Bazaar and Community Craft Fair, which boasts more than 25 local vendors. Another major event is the fun day put on by the library for the local children to celebrate the close of summer before the annual return to school.
A major service the library provides is twice-weekly after-school programs. The craft day held every Thursday from 3-5 p.m. is a favourite. Children of all ages gather, socialize and channel their artistic sides into a different craft every week. The Easter-themed craft day saw a large group of children crafting and getting treats.
“It’s where the kids go right after school,” Pederson said.
Pederson regards these budgetary changes, “as a decades step back.”
In spite of this, the local librarian continues optimistically in the fight for this critical institution. She states the library and community can fundraise and volunteer. Pederson also encourages people to join the local library board and noted that to do so, the Medstead Library may be contacted directly.
The Medstead Library prides itself on the high levels of collaboration with the local school library, which, according to Pederson, is not the case with every community. The library board will be having a meeting towards the end of April to both address the budget cuts and plan the details for many of the upcoming events, including those put on by the library itself and in conjunction with the Medstead School Library.
