The Grande Prairie Public Library is looking for more than $250,000 in additional funding over the next three years from the city to maintain staff and service levels.
While the city approved $1.67 million in operating costs for 2023, the library is asking for as much as $1.84 million in 2024, which represents an increase of $172,972 in the next fiscal year, with smaller increase increments also requested for the following two years.
Grande Prairie Public Library Board Chair Deb Normington says to simply maintain the status quo of services available, an increase in funding is a must.
“That isn’t a surprise to anyone, everyone is paying more for everything they’re purchasing, so our goods and services cost more,” she says. “If we don’t get an increase in funding, it stands to reason that we are going to reduce services.”
Normington adds library users depend on the services provided, and while not everybody in the community uses the library, many who do, don’t have an alternative.
“Particularly in this time of increased inflation in everything, not everyone can afford their children in sports or other activities. The library is free to use, there is no stigma attached, and there is no status attached to using it, it is the one place everybody is equal.
Grande Prairie Councillor Dylan Bressey says while no decisions have been made, the municipality is simply looking to gain a better understanding changes to service levels for each funding option.
“We want to understand what the different amounts of money invested mean for residents when they walk in the library,” he says.
“This isn’t something we just just been asking of the library; we’ve been rigorously examining service levels and hammering out efficiencies so that we can get the most effective use possible of every taxpayer dollar,” he adds.
Grande Pairie city council will deliberate the budget in the fall.
