ATHABASCA — In a world where everything seems to be costing increasingly more one thing is going to remain the same.
At the Jan. 31 Athabasca County council meeting Northern Lights Library System (NLLS) executive director James MacDonald NLLS board chair Vicky Lefebvre gave councillors the highlights of the past year and asked for a $0 increase in the levy to fund regional libraries.
“Northern Lights Library System is one of seven regional library systems in Alberta,” said MacDonald. “We cover the northeast; we have 49 participating physical libraries in 55 municipalities. We've been around since about 1991 or so; we started as the Northeast Library project in 1986. So, this has been a labour of love for many people over a long period of time and you've been members for quite some time. So, we appreciate that.”
The libraries in the NLLS family are the Alice B. Donahue in Athabasca, and the libraries in Boyle, Grassland, Rochester, and Wandering River and the Summer Villages of Bondiss, Mewatha Beach, Island Lake, Island Lake South, Sunset Beach, West Baptiste, and Whispering Hills.
“We almost have the 2021 numbers (but) we're just a little early still so, I'll give you the 2020 numbers,” he said. “You guys did about $875,000 worth of circulation value in the county. So, what that really means is if your residents wanted to purchase the books and audio books and magazines and all the things that we provide, if they purchased those themselves, they would have spent $875,000.”
Based on the Athabasca County population of 7,662 people MacDonald gave a brief breakdown of statistics noting there were 1,472 library users and 7,167 website visitors in 2021. As well, 13,768 items were borrowed for patrons from other libraries and 9,186 items lent to other libraries.
“The whole system itself does about $18 million worth of circulation value in their printed materials and about $4 million or so in our e-books and e-content as well,” said MacDonald. “So, we're moving a lot of materials.”
Included in the levy amount of $40,072.26 is Internet, Wi-Fi, Office 365 and any technical help the libraries need with their computers as well as consulting services.
“One of the things we're trying to pilot here in this coming year is locker pickup locations,” he said. “So, you know libraries have weird hours (and) people work long days. They still want to get that book (and) how can we find a way to get it to them outside those library hours and returns and so we're looking at ways where you can make your request and have it delivered to a secure locker somewhere in your community.”
Reeve Brian Hall asked about the future of libraries and MacDonald said based on user numbers, he does not foresee a decline in physical libraries.
“People have it in their head that libraries are going to go all digital and they'll be online, and all the books will be e-books, et cetera,” said MacDonald. “That doesn't seem to be bearing out at all. Libraries and library patrons continue to use the social spaces of libraries.
Council thanked them for attending and accepted the zero per cent increase and presentation as information.
