On the evening of March 7, Tumbler Ridge Public Library (TRPL) Board will present to the Town Council the 2022 TRPL budget proposal. All members of the public are invited to attend or watch via live-stream. The Library Board hopes to see a gallery filled with familiar faces showing their support for TRPL. The presentation will be delivered by the newest members of the Library Board, and will feature arguments for the importance of the library in the community, positive stories about the impact of the library, and justification for this year’s budget proposal. The Board this year has decided to share some of the contents of this presentation with the public in advance of the Town Council budget meeting. We hope to encourage citizens of Tumbler Ridge to attend this meeting to show their appreciation and love for a library that appreciates and loves its patrons.
As anyone who has visited our community can attest, Tumbler Ridge is unique: a tight-knit, isolated community that combines the closeness and support of small town living with the beauty of rural life. That unique situation, however, means that TRPL must bridge the delivery models of town and rural. Thus, as a single-branch library, TRPL delivers vibrant programming, serves as a hub for community connectedness, provides outreach and services to home-bound and isolated residents, helps bridge the digital divide, offers reference services that help citizens with everything from homework to starting a business, and offers an outstanding collection of books, DVDs, and other resources. TRPL offers all of these amazing services on a limited budget.
Speaking of Tumbler Ridge, its citizens clearly love the library. A recent Facebook post asking residents “What does your library mean to you?” said it all:
“I would move out of this community without the Library, In all the years that we have lived here we have never felt unwelcomed going in there, the staff have always been amazing and very helpful to us”
“So very much, it is the heart and soul of our community.”
“My grandkids love Lego club! It’s an awesome opportunity to foster creativity”
“The library has always been a great resource to the residents of Tumbler Ridge. The library is a safe space that has a great staff presence. I’ve attended with the preschool group for story time, the after school kids for Wednesday Club, events and other activities, and for personal use. Tumbler Ridge is lucky to have the Library, staff and abundance of resources.”
“My book club!”
“My kids use the library a few times a week. We absolutely love the programmes that are held. A huge resource in our community that we are very lucky to have”
The library offers programming for the young (i.e. reading clubs and baby lap-sit), resume writing services for the unemployed, technology support for those with lower technical literacy, wifi and computer services, and on and on. None of these amazing offerings would be possible without the library’s amazing staff. Each of these initiatives require engaged, full-time, knowledgeable and committed staff, which Tumbler Ridge is fortunate to have. Amazingly, over 70% of the library’s budget is staff salaries. The people who work at the library love this town, and often choose to spend their earnings locally through real estate, taxes, shopping, and services. Support for library funding means supporting local jobs and the local economy!
Although programming for the general public is a critical part of library services, we also can’t forget how much local business benefits from the library. Several businesses in towns make thousands of print copies every year at the local library. The library offers support to businesses through its reference services. Did you know that if you have any question, whatever it is, that the Librarian is there to help you find an answer? This includes questions about essential community services, navigating provincial health regulations and their impact on your business, finding useful information about starting a business such as regulations or application processes, and pretty much any question you can think of. If you haven’t tried it before, come into the Public Library and ask your local Librarian.
Finally, a word about the 2022 budget. It is the intention of the Library Board to provide the community with a transparent account of the facts. In 2021, TRPL received $340,000 in funding, representing an 8% decrease compared to 2020. Looking back all the way to 2014, the TRPL budget was $333,000. In other words, in the past 8 years, funding has remained almost flat, despite 12.5% cumulative inflation (in 2022, inflation will jump to a cumulative 18%). This year, the library is requesting $377,093, which would restore the budget to match the pace of inflation relative to its 2020 budget. TRPL is in need of your support to make sure that the Town Council hears the important role the library plays in the present and future success of this community.
