GuelphToday received the following letter from reader Morgan Dandie regarding the new central branch of the Guelph library.
Dear Editor,
Given how often some people in the Royal City decide to denigrate the upcoming new main Guelph Public Library, I need to get this out...
Having lived most of my life in the area, I have been a visitor to Guelph since the 70's and moved here in 2014. Libraries have been a huge part of my life as I became a voracious reader at age five. Living in Hamilton, trips to the Terry Berry Library and seeing the Bookmobile arrive in the townhouse parking lot, were absolute highlights of my early childhood.
After moving to Burlington, I was lucky enough to live a short walk through Central Park to the Burlington Public Library central branch and it was a refuge as a teenager. Not only did I find amazing literary worlds to explore, I studied there, I borrowed music and the players needed to listen to the music (first cassette tapes and later CDs). I went back to Central Library in Burlington about a decade ago and the renovations and improvements they had made to keep up with city growth were phenomenal. Oakville also had a pretty impressive Central Branch when I lived there through the early 2000's and the new Central Branch in Milton is what I would love to see here in Guelph.
I'd like more Guelphites to understand a few things about the current building of our new library because I am incredibly tired of people saying we don't need a new one. I cannot understand how a city which is supposed to be "progressive" and "caring " and "green" has such a woefully inadequate main library yet people think the money allocated should not have been. Libraries serve the most vulnerable population and provide so much more than just books.
A few questions for those who don't follow the realities in our city:
Do you realize the library is one of the places that provides shelter for free?
Do you know that the main library is responsible for operation and administration of all the satellite branches, which also offer shelter?
Are you aware the current building is literally falling apart?
Have you seen the boiler that was designed in the 1950's? Did you know if that boiler stops functioning, the entire Guelph library system is put in jeopardy and it is not repairable as the parts are obsolete?
Have you heard it has a maxed out electrical system, meaning it is impossible to grow the system throughout the city?
Did you know there are no washrooms on the main level requiring those unable to negotiate a staircase to take an antiquated elevator, which is frequently inoperable anyway? (I took a ride in it and it was an incredibly unpleasant experience)
Are you informed of the AODA requirements that cannot be met in the current location?
Have you spoken with staff to learn about the difficult working conditions due to overcrowding and a leaking roof?
Did you know that the archives are stored offsite because the space had to be converted to staff space?
Are you aware there is no community space available, because it had to be converted to staff space?
The approved and under construction new library is an absolute requirement for Guelph AND it is the only truly free space where people are not required to have money to access the things you most likely take for granted, like internet and computer access.
After decades of back and forth, the Royal City is finally getting an updated main library that is the bare minimum needed to allow the system to grow, as it must, as the population growth mandated by the province continues. I will be at the ribbon cutting ceremony celebrating the day we get our Library System truly in the 21st Century!
Morgan Dandie, Guelph
