The Sacred Third Space

"The public library is the last bastion of democracy in this country."

Although this quote is from The Public (a fantastic film written and directed by Emilio Estevez) and about the United States, its meaning rings just as true here in Canada.

I firmly believe that having access to information and being an informed citizen are human rights. Libraries not only provide this, but they do it for free. And this only scratches the surface of the niches public libraries have grown to fill over the years.

You'll often hear that 'libraries aren't just books anymore'. Speaking from experience after having worked at a library for seven consecutive years, I can assure you that this statement couldn't be more correct. When it comes to lending, my library has the following and more available for patrons to borrow:

• Books, audiobooks, eBooks, eAudiobooks

• Movies and TV shows (in hard copy and digitally)

• Birdwatching kits

• Magazines

• Seeds

• Video games, board games, and puzzles

• Kayaks

• Tennis and pickleball equipment

• Portable internet

• Fishing rods and tackle

Beyond borrowing, my library also provides the following programs and services:

• Access to computers and printers

• Craft programs

• Reading challenges (and yes, there are prizes to be won)

• Trivia

• Rentable rooms

• Makerspace (vinyl cutting, heat press, button making, 3D printing)

• Study space

• Special speakers (touching on topics from photography to hospice care)

• Book clubs

• WiFi

• Food pantry and fridge

• Children's programming

• Home delivery

• Author visits

• Movies in the park

It comes down to this: libraries are a sacred third space. A third space because it is not home (first space) nor work/school (second space), and a sacred one because it is out of the elements and you don't have to pay to be there.

Unfortunately, many do not see the benefits of libraries. Recently, the council of a neighbouring municipality (that does not have a brick-and-mortar library building of its own) decided to drastically cut funding to our library. For many years, this municipality had been given a great deal: they paid just shy of 50% of what our town pays per person for library services. Out of nowhere this spring, they offered us less than 12% of their normal amount per year to cover those same services. Naturally, this was an offer our library board could not accept. With no bargaining, the municipality chose to suspend payment to our library moving forward.

In response to this choice, our board reluctantly decided that we could no longer serve the members of this adjoining municipality. It breaks our hearts as many of our most faithful patrons come from this area and we must now turn them away. Since this service alteration was implemented last month, we have educated our patrons on the series of events preceding it and encouraged them to direct their ire to their counselors. Regrettably, I think their concerns have fallen on deaf ears.

Recently, this municipality has made a deal with another library in our network to allow their patrons access to the physical collection at that library only. A separate deal with a nearby county allows patrons to access their libraries, including their digital content. Although these libraries are farther away from most of our patrons and their quality of service is now split across counties, I believe that anyone speaking to the council now will be told: "We have given you a service. It is your choice whether to use it." As a result, our library is now facing cuts to open hours and as a result, staff wages. The library needs money to run, and a $75,000 dent in our yearly budget has to be recouped somewhere.

It's times like these that we are extra thankful to our Friends of the Library, our tireless group of volunteers that raises money to bring even more programs and services to our patrons. Unfortunately, doubling their efforts wouldn't even be enough to cover a single year of our losses.

All we have now is hope, hope that this municipality will see reason. Realistically, the chances of this are slim to none. In the meantime, we forge ahead and continue to offer the best service we can.