The Sechelt Public Library says thanks to a new agreement with local governments it’s finally getting treated like most other libraries in the province.
The Regional District (Areas A, B, and D), Sechelt, and the Sechelt Indian Band have committed to a 5-year service agreement. At the core of the deal is tying funding to population.
Dan Fivehouse is the chair of the Library Board. “This agreement was developed over a considerable period of time and included many interesting side discussions. I think it serves as an example of the progress that can be made through patient negotiation to consensus among diverse viewpoints. Now the Library can just get on with its work of being the 3rd busiest library in BC on a per-capita basis,” he says.
Margaret Hodgins, the SPL’s new Chief Librarian adds: “Bring our funding to ‘per capita’ level is a commitment to our community. We plan on using this stable source of revenue to continue developing meaningful and forward thinking programs and resources designed for this distinct community. Lifetime learning, literacy and celebrating ideas – printed and digital – are the keystones of the library.”
