With the provincial government announcing grant reductions totalling $130 million in the recent budget, Pictou Antigonish Regional Library chief Librarian Eric Stackhouse offered his thoughts on what this will mean for libraries.
Stackhouse said he was informed by the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage that library core funding will remain the same as the last seven years. However, Stackhouse said they have been depending on emergency bridge funding from the department to help cover costs related to minimum wage increases and increases in book prices, adding that bridge funding is not included in the budget despite library groups asking for it so they could plan on having it for their budgets.
Stackhouse further explained how the beginning of the fiscal year is April 1, and libraries have to budget now.
It’s disappointing, noted Stackhouse, adding they were hoping the bridge funding would be recognized. Stackhouse said the board for PARL formed a revenue committee to look at ways to get regional libraries out of this volatile situation with funding.
