NORTHEAST — After being hit hard by last year’s provincial budget, the Wapiti Regional Library is happy they aren’t seeing cuts this year.
The library saw a 58 per cent cut – about $400,000 – as of April 1, 2017, without any prior warning. In response, one of the major cuts the regional libraries were going to make was to end the interlibrary loans system. After a public outcry, that cut was reversed later that month.
“It’s a good year compared to last year,” said Tony Murphy, Wapiti’s regional director, about this year’s budget. “We’re certainly pleased here at Wapiti that our funding has been maintained at last year’s level – the restored funding level, that is.”
Murphy said the library was expecting no cuts because the education ministry told them that after seeing the province-wide protests, they received the message that residents of Saskatchewan believe libraries are important.
“We’re so appreciative of the people of Saskatchewan and their protests last year and all of the outcry about libraries,” he said. “That was fantastic and we were thrilled to see that because it’s nice to have that grassroots support for libraries.”
After having the cuts reversed last year, the province hinted at changes in the future. So far that hasn’t materialized.
“They’ve been talking about a consultation process – and we look forward to that as well because that’s a great opportunity to really reinforce just what we do in our communities,” Murphy said.
“It didn’t happen last year, but the ministry of education is hoping that it will happen this year.”
After the events of last year, Murphy is hopeful the province now sees the value of the provincial library system.
“I think the government has come a long way in a year to seeing some of the value that maybe they weren’t seeing last year.”
