Camrosians won't pay for library cards in 2012

Camrose residents won't be required to pay for their library membership cards in 2012.

Camrose City council has agreed to provide an additional $14,630 in funding to Camrose Public Library for the coming year to cover the cost of offering membership cards free of charge to all city users.

"It was a unanimous decision and one we are very happy with," said Mayor Marshall Chalmers.

"It's a decision we feel that should have been made a long time ago."

Council started talking about the possibility of eliminating the fee for library membership cards when the library board presented its 2012 budget request of $448,777 in November.

"It surprised us that they (council) would be willing to talk about it since it wasn't something we requested," said Camrose Public Library board chair Anjah Howard.

The removal of library membership fees for all residents has been on the Camrose Public Library's bucket list for a number of years. Until now the library has been only able to offer memberships free of charge to those under the age of 18 and to those who make special requests because of financial circumstances.

"By making the cards free to everyone, people don't have to go through the process of making that request," said Camrose Public Library director Deb Cryderman.

While library membership is free of charge under the Alberta Libraries Act, libraries have been able to charge for membership cards and the renewal of those cards.

"Our province and small parts of Quebec are the only places in Canada that are allowed to charge for library membership cards," said Cryderman. "We are not allowed to charge for memberships but we are allowed to charge for the card. It is a real loophole in the Libraries Act."

Camrose County residents will still be required to pay $12 for their annual membership card until County council can work out an arrangement on library funding within individual villages and towns.

Camrose Public Library currently has 6,585 registered members, seventy-seven per cent of which are from the city of Camrose. The number of books that went out of the library in 2011 was 235,492.

Howard praised City council for its willingness to cover the cost of library cards for 2012 and possibly beyond.

"I think it will make the library truly open to all ratepayers in the community."

No word on grant

The Camrose Public Library board has still not heard from the provincial government on its application for a CFEP grant to cover the cost of much-needed renovations.

"We are hoping that it will come through right away but as a board we do have a backup plan and will be going ahead with some of the work regardless of what happens," said Howard.

Students from CCHS are currently building cabinets for the library as a community program.

Phase one of the library's renovation project will include public spaces, while phase two will focus on work spaces.