The BCLA Board has sent a letter to the Premier of Alberta and the Minister of Municipal Affairs of Alberta, expressing our opposition to Bill 28 and urging the Government of Alberta to withdraw all provisions of the bill that pertain to the Libraries Act.
Many of you are likely aware of the current situation in Alberta: they have introduced Bill 28, which includes amendments to the Alberta Library Act that would, at a minimum, restrict access to library materials and gives the Minister of Municipal Affairs extensive discretionary power over public libraries, with few safeguards. This discretionary power could extend to accessing patron borrowing records and other activities that are in opposition to core library values and the provision of public library service (more information about Bill 28).
Advocacy against Bill 28 is being led by the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries (CAP Libraries). BCLA has sent the following letter based on the template letter created by CFLA in consultation with CAP Libraries (more from CFLA on Bill 28):
Dear Premier Smith and Minister Williams,
On behalf of the British Columbia Library Association, I am writing to urge you to stand in defense of intellectual freedom and democratic local governance in the face of unprecedented provincial overreach occurring in Alberta. We write to express our unwavering support for the position statements of the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries (CAP Libraries) and the Canadian Federation of Library Associations-Federation canadienne des associations de bibliothèques (CFLA-FCAB) regarding Alberta’s Bill 28.
As CFLA-FCAB has strongly affirmed, local governance, trained library professionals, and community accountability are what make public libraries successful, and trust must be earned through consistency and transparency, not government overreach. This provincial legislation fundamentally undermines freedom of expression, local decision-making, and the privacy of citizens.
Granting a single provincial minister sweeping, discretionary authority, with insufficient safeguards, to bypass local library boards and deploy inspectors to examine library records is a direct threat to the democratic institutions that Canadians rely on.
From beyond Alberta’s borders, we stand in solidarity with the Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries (CAP Libraries) in affirming that public trust is built through consistency and transparency — never through government overreach. We urge the Government of Alberta to withdraw all provisions of Bill 28 that pertain to the Libraries Act. Public libraries must remain free from partisan interference and continue to serve as spaces where every person can freely access information and ideas without fear or restriction.
Sincerely,
Suzanne Rackover, President, British Columbia Library Association
BCLA will continue to monitor this situation, supporting our colleagues in Alberta and advocating for intellectual freedom, access, and privacy for all library users.