A 10.3% funding increase for the Grande Prairie Public Library is headed to municipal budget deliberations next month.
The increase request, which translates into approximately $250,000, was presented to council in the summer of 2023, with members of the Grande Prairie Public Library board returning to council Monday to further discuss three funding options for the library, each with their own benefits and consequences.
Grande Prairie Library Board Chair Deb Normington says a 0% increase may result in the elimination of programming budgets, fewer open hours, and loss of hours for part-time employees.
“We really struggle with reducing hours, because as it stands we have short hours on Sundays that we would like to increase,” she adds.
Inflationary funding would see a 3% or $55,362 funding increase for the library and minimal closures during specific timeframes.
“With inflationary, we’ll limp along and do our best, but it only defers the problem,” Normington says.
“It doesn’t take a mathematician to know that if you don’t get the increase today, sometimes tomorrow, then you need an even bigger increase, and we would hate to see that happen as well.”
The 10.3% would break down over a two year span, with a $172,329 increase ask for 2024, and $55,362 in 2025. Officials say that will help with increasing staffed hours and hours of operation, as well as supporting library programs and services.
