Former librarians lament loss of library hours

February 22, 2012

This letter was copied to the Huntsville Forester, the chief librarian and Friends of the Huntsville Public Library.
Dear chair and Members of the Huntsville Public Library Board,
It will be a sad day for Huntsville when, as announced, Huntsville Public Library Board implements the 10 per cent cut to library hours next week. In the 127-year history of progress at Huntsville Public Library, this is the first major reduction of library hours and service on record.
As former chief librarians and users of the Huntsville Public Library, we are writing to strongly urge you to reconsider your decision to reduce hours of service and to revisit the library budget and priorities yet once again.
Huntsville’s permanent residents and summer visitors have benefitted from a robust, responsive, award-winning library service. We can be proud that Huntsville library is known as one of the best, if not the best medium-sized public library in Ontario, for the simple reason that it has been well supported over the years.  
When times are tough, as they are now, public library use increases. Historically in years when many community services have been flat-lined or cut, our library has been able to grow each year, if even just a bit, to meet rising demands.  
This year, like most, as the demands on the library grew, proposed budget support from the Town was increased. That this link between need and use has been recognized speaks very highly of council and the board’s understanding of the importance of the library to the community it serves.
We do appreciate the kind of hard work that is involved in allocating scarce resources in the best manner possible. We also know that the decision to decrease hours was not taken lightly. Nonetheless, we ask, with the utmost respect, that the board give it another try, that you to go back to the drawing board and see if there isn’t some way to maintain the current hours of operation at Huntsville Public Library. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, and it will be no simple task to reinstate them.
Respectfully,

Marguerite Urban
Maureen Cubberley
Huntsville, Burk’s Falls