Library Support and Funding

Whereas libraries are a social justice equalizer that provide universal access to information and learning materials irrespective of income levels; And whereas libraries are now so much more than books, building community and a sense of inclusion; And whereas restoring funding to libraries supports the BC Governments agenda to eliminate poverty, improve access to education, and address social injustice in BC; And whereas funding rates have been frozen since 2009 and inflationary costs have increasingly been put on municipal property tax payers, which is a regressive approach to funding public libraries; And whereas municipalities face downloading from upper levels of government and have few tools to raise funds: Therefore be it resolved that the Village of Salmo urges the Province of BC to restore library funding to a level that reflects both inflationary cost increases since 2009 and the value of this system to the Province.