Protesting Cuts to Library Services
A number of people protested the provincial governments cuts to SOLS/OLS-N (Southern Ontario Library Services along with Ontario Library Services – North) in front of the Cobourg and Port Hope Library on Wednesday, May 1, 2019.
The funding for both SOLS/OLS-N was cut in half by the province.
Derek Blackadder Co-chair Northumberland Coalition for Social Justice said at both Cobourg and Port Hope Libraries there was the chance to sign a petition that will be delivered to Premier Doug Ford with a copy sent to MPP David Piccini asking the Government to reconsider the cuts to the Provincial library system.
“The cut is not directed at our library or any library, but what it’s doing is making it impossible for the interlibrary loan system in Ontario to continue to function.”
“So libraries currently are able to borrow materials from other libraries in order to keep their patrons happy and get them the books they are looking to read.”
“That’s going to end soon and when it does it’s going to put a huge amount of pressure on small libraries and medium size libraries because their acquisition budgets are not going to be able to allow them to replace the books.”
“Every library in the province would have to have a copy of every book in the province and we know that’s not going to happen.”
“We’re also concerned that if we don’t start pushing back with the plans government has especially with small town Ontario, we don’t know what we’re going to face when they get around to restructuring the provinces ambulance system and the changes they are making to health care.”
“This maybe a small cut, but we think it’s the start of something much bigger. So we’re organizing to tell them we are opposed now, rather than wait till later.”
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love