Residents show support for libraries
Libraries are important part of community, residents say
Residents of Toronto's downtown east end clearly have a love affair with their libraries.That affinity was once again highlighted Monday as more than 100 library users gathered at the Riverdale branch to talk about service cuts being considered for the city's libraries. The Nov. 14 meeting was the second in as many days. A day earlier, about 70 people squeezed into a meeting room at the Pape/Danforth branch to learn more about and have their say on the potential reductions being considered for the library's 2012 budget.On Oct. 17, the new Toronto Public Library (TPL) board approved a reduction of $9.9 million or 5.7 per cent of its annual operating budget through the introduction of new technologies and by cutting more than 100 jobs. The board, which will meet again on Nov. 21 and Dec. 12, is now exploring how to cut the remaining $7.3 million (4.3 per cent) to reach the required 10 per cent savings.The city's budget and executive committees will then debate and discuss the library budget, which is expected to be approved by city council at its January 2012 meeting.Ward 30 Councillor Paula Fletcher said reducing services at the city's libraries just doesn't make good business sense."We should be rewarding the libraries for the good job they've done to this city," said Fletcher, pointing to the 29 per cent increase of total library usage in the last decade from 77 million uses to 99 million uses.Ward 28 (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) Councillor Pam McConnell said in her 17 years on council she's never seen such a quick process, noting council hasn't even agreed to any service reductions for the TPL."This is a fast way to put 100 people out the door and reduce the budget," she said Monday evening, assuring she'd be putting up a fight to keep libraries open for all. Sally Bliss, a mother of two children under the age of five, often brings her children to her local branch near Gerrard Street East and Ashdale Avenue in the morning and doesn't want to see any library hours cut."It seems silly in times of economically hard times to close places of reading," she said.Riverdale resident Penina Coopersmith commended the TPL for staying relevant and thriving despite the changing times and encouraged the library board's members to take a cue from the police services board and reject the 10 per cent budget cut."The pen is mightier than the sword," said Coopersmith.Joyce Nakashi, an area resident, said libraries provide stability for people and serve as safe havens in the community,Yoke Chan served as the chair of the Riverdale Library Chinese Book Section. "This was the first library in the whole of Canada to have Chinese books. I was so proud of it," said Chan, adding it just "doesn't make sense" to cut back hours and reduce services to local libraries."This is a very important meeting place for the Chinese community."Judy Ouk, the new chair of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce (East Toronto), said the Riverdale Library is a place for people of all ages, a safe environment and a place of learning.The public's input from the two local meetings will help Fletcher and the TPL better understand how the potential reductions to library service will affect individuals, families and the community as a whole.Anyone interested in signing a petition asking the TPL and city council to stop the proposed cuts to branch hours, should email councillor_fletcher@toronto.ca People can also share their thoughts on the proposed service reductions by emailing a statement to nmarshall@torontopubliclibrary.caA group called Our Public Library at http://ourpubliclibrary.to has also been formed to prevent closures and reductions to libraries.