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Dear BCLA Members,

BCLA invites you to come together to encourage government to increase funding for public libraries.  There hasn’t been an increase in core public library funding since 2010, and while one-time funding opportunities are extremely important and helpful, it is core funding that helps public libraries plan for the future and provide ongoing services and staffing levels their communities count on.

 One simple way to raise our voices in support of public libraries is to submit a letter to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services.

The Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services holds an annual public consultation to inform the next provincial budget. British Columbians are invited to share their thoughts, ideas and priorities through a variety of participation options, including a letter submission. The Committee reviews all input received and makes recommendations to the Legislative Assembly for the next provincial budget.

The attached letter template is for individual public library supporters, and especially staff, to use so that government hears, loud and clear, that it is important to increase funding for BC’s public libraries.

The content of the attached letter, specifically the “asks,” echo the content of the letters being sent by public libraries, public library Boards, and the BC Libraries Cooperative. The strategy is to deliver a coherent message from a variety of sources so that government has one straight forward message to respond to.

Letters to the Select Standing Committee will be accepted after June 1st through their Online Submissions Portal found here:

https://consultations.leg.bc.ca/Submission/Create?cons=Budget2021

Please be sure to copy your letter to Rob Fleming, Minister of Education, and to the BC Library Partners through Annette DeFaveri. Both email addresses are included on the letter template.

Thank you to the BC Public Library Partners (BC Library Association, BC Libraries Cooperative, BC Library Trustee Association, and the Association of BC Public Library Directors) for the work to organize this advocacy campaign.

 

Thank you all for speaking up.

Best

Annette

 

Annette DeFaveri

Executive Director

British Columbia Library Association