Camrose Public Library seeks substantial budget increase
By Dan Jensen

The Camrose Public Library is requesting a grant of $434,000 from the City of Camrose for the 2009 budget year.

The library received a municipal grant of $403,000 for 2008.

"We're facing serious issues with salaries," explained Camrose Public Library board chair Donna Watson in presenting a proposed budget to Camrose city council November 10.

"Our clerical salaries are considerably lower than those paid by other public sector employers in Camrose and area."

While the costs are creeping up, hopes have been buoyed by comments from Municipal Affairs Minister Ray Danyluk that he intends to go to the Alberta Treasury seeking significant increases for libraries in the coming year, as well as look into the idea of doing away with library membership fees. The province's per capita grant to municipalities for library purposes has stayed at the same level for the last 20 years.

As part of its ongoing commitment to literacy and youth in the community, Camrose Public Library continues to offer free memberships to residents 17 years of age and younger.

The library will be offering free memberships to residents 18 to 25 between now and November 30 in honour of its 89th anniversary.

Eliminating fees for everyone would necessitate an additional $19,000 in revenue per year.

Book crunch

The money allotted to Camrose Public Library collections has remained essentially the same for the last six years, despite the obvious increases in the price of collection materials.

"We don't have the funds to buy new books that we once did," said Watson.

A $2,000 grant from Battle River Community Foundation this past year allowed the library to purchase over 100 new audio books and increase audio book circulation by 28 per cent.

Funding from the Camrose and District Thrift Shop permitted the purchase of CD juvenile book kits.

"The library has reached maximum capacity, so low circulating materials have to be weeded and deleted from the collection to permit space for new materials to be added," said Watson.

Patrons of Camrose Public Library are able to borrow materials from other libraries within the Parkland Regional system, as well as across Alberta. As of October 31, 2008, 18,976 items had been loaned between PRL, an 18 per cent increase over 2007. Inter-library loans from outside of Parkland have doubled, with 956 books being borrowed and 1,115 books loaned.

City council has already approved a Parkland Regional Library 2009 budget request of $108,000, up from the $96,800 requested for 2008.

"The amount we pay for membership in the system is a bargain compared to what it would be if we had to proceed without Parkland," said councillor John Howard.

"We can't duplicate services here for nearly what we pay to them."

As of October 31, Camrose Public Library had 5,377 members, of whom 83 per cent were residents of the city of Camrose.
Strategic Plan

The Camrose Public Library strategic plan for 2008 to 2010 is to become a destination of choice for the community; be a friendly, inviting and comfortable space for everyone; have a collection policy that ensures a collection that is relevant, balanced and responsive to changing needs; have a user-friendly website that provides access to all library services; provide innovative and relevant services and programs; ensure a well trained staff; and identify funding sources beyond the City of Camrose, Camrose County and the Province of Alberta.