In answer to the Cochrane Public Library’s slogan “Where will it take you?” executive director Jeri Maitland is advocating for the town to board the bus and provide support for her goal of building a larger community space to accommodate the growing facility.
“Today, people use public libraries more than ever,” said Maitland, citing during her presentation to council Tuesday night 112,000 people walked through the library doors last year.
She said the additional request of $66,177 for library operations out of the annual budget would still leave the facility – which is roughly half the per capita size it should be when compared to similar municipalities – at the bottom of the per capita pole.
The Cochrane Library Board received $532,239 this year and is requesting $598,416 out of the 2018 town budget.
The resounding message from Jeri Maitland’s presentation is that grants are available and she has her sights on securing capital funding to support either full relocation or an expansion to the existing building located on Railway Street.
“There are up to $1 million per year in grant dollars available for capital expansion … we need a guarantee from the town that we have the space,” said Maitland, adding that should council provide further direction, a needs assessment would be in order once land is guaranteed, then she could start applying for grant dollars.
Public engagement revealed while programming is up, patrons feel the space and lack of extended evening hours are prohibitive.
Maitland confirmed when it comes to library size, Cochrane is far from keeping pace. One of her most common comparison is Okotoks, which has a 16,500 square foot library catering to its population of 31,000 and the community is advocating for more space.
Grand Prairie, with a population of 60,000, is home to a 30,000 square foot library that is attached to an even larger cultural hub.
The Cochrane Public Library is 8,000 square feet and the population is nearing 27,000 residents.
The funding boost would provide additional staffing and extended evening hours – $18,000 would cover the additional 10 evening hours the library would keep the doors open for.
Should full funding not be granted, Maitland said the library may face Sunday closures, have to offer fewer programs and face staffing challenges.
“Last Sunday we had 210 people come through the doors,” she said, offering up data to bolster that higher literacy levels equate to better opportunities and better career paths.
Of the 13,200 library members, Maitland said a majority reside in the Town of Cochrane. The remainder lives in surrounding Rocky View County, as well as Bragg Creek and Redwood Meadows.
The per capita request, if granted, would put the library up to $22.74 per capita for 2018 – still below the $25 per capita goal and behind comparable municipalities. Rocky View County currently provides $4.40 in per capita funding toward the library’s current funding of $21.19 per capita.
According to 2016 figures, Okotoks, with a population nearing 29,000, was operating at $22.30 per capita; Airdrie at $24.11; and High River at $24.39.
Banff and Canmore were at the far end of the spectrum with $46.90 and $53.89 respectively.
