GuelphToday received the following letter from Steph Clarke regarding a new library:
I can't believe I still have to shout this from the rooftops, but libraries matter.
Libraries matter during a pandemic.
Libraries matter during a housing shortage.
Libraries matter during an opioid and overdose crisis.
Libraries matter.
It shouldn't be a question of this vs that. Or us vs them. Or "Now just isn't the right time".
The time for a new library is now. A plan must be finalized, approved, and have broken ground this year. It will take two to four years to build the new branch and have it ready to open. Our main branch is crumbling, and has been for many years.
Upgrades cannot be made to this space in an effective way, and we need a new, state-of-the-art branch that can meet all kinds of needs for decades to come. The new space will be adaptable and grow to meet the needs of our community.
If you're thinking "I haven't used a library in years," please do not have the audacity to tell me that "no one uses it." I walk by the main library every day and it is incredibly well utilized for what it is able to offer.
However, the current state of the building will cause it to always fall short when it comes to capacity, accessibility, safety, and resources. The months that the library closed their doors for safety protocols were devastating to many. Folks without a stable wifi connection at home (or those under-housed entirely) were often found outside the library daily to use the WIFi, just to stay connected to the world.
When curbside pickup opened I saw daily lineups and packed book drop. When they reopened their doors for resource usage and loans, people rejoiced. Library users regained a small beacon of hope found in resource access and a reinstated sense of routine.
For those who feel libraries are an outdated service model, I ask you to look at Idea Exchange, the public library system in Cambridge. Their branches blend traditional libraries with art galleries, community gardens and a state of the art technology hub. Their recently renovated main branch saw 780,000 visitors in 2018, and boasted over 78,000 program participants that same year. Their seed library saw over 3,000+ packets of seeds borrowed from 2017-2018. Their Old Post Office branch is an architectural marvel that empowers and educates citizens of all ages in all forms of technology, from HAM radio, engineering, artmaking, and rapid prototyping. Their strong main branch serves a network of satellite branches equipped to deal with the unique needs of each neighbourhood.
That is not nothing. That matters.
As someone who works in a community space that supports the sharing economy, I see first-hand the positive impact that shared spaces and resources have on a community. However, I'm speaking solely as a citizen, a taxpayer, and a person who understands that libraries are critical to a vibrant, well rounded city that supports those who live in it. This is the kind of library I would want to have for myself, my family, and my community.
I understand the gravity of the current situation, but this waiting period for a library is not new, and can not be prolonged any further. We had and approved a plan. When the City felt ill-equipped to deal with the criticisms from some concerned citizens, the mayor drastically changed his tune on a project he once claimed to support.
Libraries don't come cheap, but neither do parking garages. If we can spend $20 million on a space to park cars, I'm certain we can spend $62 million on a space that connects community members, provides essential services and resources, and builds a strong and vibrant city.
People are fearful of large price tags, because they feel insurmountable, and our gut response is "Well that isn't what I would do with $62 million". Luckily, the city isn't taking that $62M directly from you personally.
The taxpayer cost of the library is roughly $16 million, leveraged over a long period of time, resulting in the cost of a loaf of bread per year, or one nice family dinner in a restaurant over the next 20 years. Tax increases are daunting to many households, but we are asked to pay significantly more for other public services that get yearly budget increases without question from Guthrie.
I recognize that the state of the world has changed greatly since March of this year, however, that does not negate the need for libraries. A new library needs to exist in tandem with poverty reduction, harm reduction, affordable and geared to income housing, and public health in a world experiencing a pandemic.
A new library must be integrated into the solution, and not part of the laundry list of problems that the City of Guelph wishes to place on the backburner. This is our chance to create something that serves the "new world" we are set to live in indefinitely. Let's make this space something that matters.
Steph Clarke
