In a narrow 5-4 vote during budget talks last week, city council decided to uphold the full funding increase requested by the Prince George Public Library, despite Coun. Kyle Sampson’s motion to reduce it.
While Sampson argued that the library should find alternative revenue streams, particularly after eliminating late fees, the motion oversimplified the role our library plays.
With our city's growing social challenges, primarily homelessness and mental health struggles, the library has become a crucial safe haven. They aren't just a place to borrow books. Libraries are cornerstones of our collective mental health, educational development and societal growth. They're safe spaces meant to serve people of all ages, backgrounds, and circumstances. As Mayor Simon Yu rightly noted, libraries act as equalizers. They are places where people — regardless of their background — can access opportunities for personal and professional growth. Council’s vote to uphold the requested increase demonstrates a commitment to preserving those values.
Sampson’s push to reduce the funding increase comes at a time when libraries are facing more pressure than ever. Prince George’s library board has reported new challenges regarding security, safety and changing resource allocation. While it’s valid to discuss how libraries can be more innovative in their revenue generation, it is equally important to acknowledge the increasing responsibilities they shoulder in supporting community well-being. To place the burden of solving these challenges solely on the library’s ability to raise funds risks undermining the essential services it provides.
While the motion framed the elimination of late fees as a financial concern, the evidence shows that these fees create barriers to access rather than incentivize the timely return of materials. Many library users, especially those from lower-income households, may find themselves financially penalized for circumstances that are often beyond their control, or choose to avoid using the library altogether to avoid risking fines.
The decision to abolish late fees aligns with a broader trend across Canadian libraries, one which prioritizes equitable access over punitive financial measures. However, as Coun. Cori Ramsay pointed out, while it's reasonable to expect the library to generate additional revenue streams, reducing funding for services that could grow the library's user base would make that more of a challenge.
The rejection of Sampson’s motion doesn't mean council isn't willing to consider efficiencies within the library, but rather that a majority of councillors recognize the fundamental role it plays. Libraries are community centres in the truest sense — places of education, creativity, and refuge for the vulnerable. To reduce their funding in the name of innovation without taking into account their unique role in our community’s well-being sends the wrong message.
Libraries deserve the resources they need to serve everyone, including people at risk. While it’s important for libraries to explore new ways of raising funds, they should never be expected to compromise their foundational role as safe, inclusive spaces.
Prince George’s library deserves the ongoing, unshakable support of both city council and the community at large. To deny that would be to deny the heart of what makes this city a place where we can all thrive.
