Usually when a budget comes down and it’s a tough time economically, one can expect certain cuts or hikes, such as increasing the so-called “sin taxes”.
The sin taxes make sense, since they apply to certain activities that people make the voluntary choice to take part in, such as drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes, even knowing that smoking will probably kill you.
What doesn’t make sense is making excruciatingly deep cuts to something that should never ever be touched, like libraries.
The public library is an important and crucial part of any community, not only culturally but for the promotion of literacy to both young and old. To make cuts to a source of literacy is unconscionable, and the cuts made to the regional library system in this province is putting the future existence of all libraries at serious risk.
What is truly unbelievable is that the cuts to regional libraries are truly harsh at 58 per cent, and as if to rub salt in the wound, the cuts were made retroactive to January 1, which just makes the reductions insulting and hurtful.
The libraries had no heads-up this would be happening, and were nearly through their first quarter of operations already just to be told, “Oh by the way, you got a big cut in your funds already — have a nice day!” A cut like this cannot be justified, even in a tough budget, because considering the size of the budget overall, and the deficit the government is struggling to address, a cut like this is piddly and will not lend any assistance whatsoever to fixing that bottom line. Not only that, but for library users in the two largest cities of Regina and Saskatoon, the funds were cut completely.
If you want to see a community facility that is truly being used by community groups and organizations, just take a look at the monthly calendar for the Weyburn Public Library. Every single weeknight has multiple users lined up to use the facility, from the Toastmasters to knitters, to artists, children, new Canadians, the writers group, wood carvers and quilters, just to name a few.
In a given week, when I am out and about taking photos of community events, there are inevitably a number of those events being held at the library. One evening I think I covered three separate groups or activities, with a children’s craft activity held on the upper level because every single available space was literally hosting an activity or a group. How can cuts to these things possibly be justified?
The short answer is, they cannot be. Thus, supporters of library services are signing on-line petitions (I encourage you to sign these) and there will be a read-in held on Friday, April 7. Take a book and take part, and support your library!
