Retired Librarian Doreen Liberty wants to save Williamsburg Library Branch

Dear Seeker :

Over the past several months many articles, interviews and letters have been published in local newspapers and online in support of saving the Williamsburg branch of the SD&G County Library Services.

To my knowledge, no letters have been sent in opposition to saving the branch!

The Save the Williamsburg Library Branch Committee has been working tirelessly to save their local library from closure.

All of this information, updates and more can be found on Facebook Save the Williamsburg Library Branch at:

https://www.facebook.com/SaveTheWilliamsburgLibraryBranch

The SD&G County Library Strategic Plan, (January 2012), states that “Research indicates a positive correlation between educational attainment, higher income and library utilization”. Future jobs will require a strong mind, rather than a strong back, and one of the roles of libraries is to help children, youth and adults reach their full potential, to be ready for the future.

The recent SD&G Strategic Plan includes library goals focused on service delivery (individual library branches). Staff are expected to review the current services (18 branches), identify those to be retained or improved, and those to be “divested to make room for improvements and new offerings” (branches identified for closure). As the current South Dundas municipal office in Williamsburg will be vacated later this year, and leased or sold, it is providing the opportunity for the Library Board to close, (or “divest” itself of), the Williamsburg branch and “CONSOLIDATE” revenues and services in Morrisburg.

The Williamsburg Library is like the community’s front porch –everyone is welcome! Patrons come to browse, to learn, to play, to research, to read, to enjoy the space and best of all, to visit with friends and neighbours who pop in while they are there! It is a very successful branch. It is well used, and has very high circulation (including books, periodicals, e-books, movies, etc.) statistics, given that it is only open for 15 hours per week. A small branch with circulation statistics over 8,000 annually is considered very successful. Williamsburg’s circulation statistics total for 2012 was 9527. (SD&G County Library monthly statistics, 2012)

In the foreseeable future it is unlikely that libraries will remove all of their book collections, nor will library facilities become obsolete. Children, youth and adults will continue to need access to physical books, whether today or in the distant future. And closing library branches –well, that’s just stealing from the future to pay for today!

We need to make the SD&G Library Board members realize that it is vital to reconsider their decision to close the Williamsburg Branch. It is not just Williamsburg we are supporting, it is all of South Dundas! This is our community. It is our tax dollars that pay for SD&G County Library services in South Dundas. Please come out and give Williamsburg your support!

The SD&G Library Board will be holding a meeting in Williamsburg to address their reasons for closure and residents are welcome to ask questions following the presentation.

DATE: May 9, 2013
TIME: 7:00 PM
LOCATION: IOOF Hall in Williamsburg

WE NEED YOU, THE LIBRARY PATRONS and RESIDENTS OF SOUTH DUNDAS TO COME OUT AND SUPPORT WILLIAMSBURG AT THIS MEETING!

Thank you.

Doreen Liberty, Retired Librarian
Morrisburg, ON