Since the first report on questions about the user fees Tiny has been paying so their residents can have access to libraries and arenas in neighbouring communities, I have been trying to present a response.
As a previous report published in Midland Today on Oct. 16, it is apparent that it’s been slow work so I want to thank Mr. Bell, quoted in the Nov. 22 edition, for stating the case with precision and brevity.
The recent report indicates that there is more to the issue than just money – the power to appoint a board member was mentioned – that wasn't detailed fully enough that I could have an opinion on.
But the intention to build a new library in Tiny was made very clear.
More libraries is something I’d ordinarily be all in favour of, except maybe not in this instance.
Residents of Tiny currently have access to three libraries conveniently located so that people can choose the one they prefer. For a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year in user fees, three well-established and professionally-run libraries are easily accessible.
If we try to think of these four different administrative districts – Tiny, Midland, Penetanguishene and Springwater – as one community of less than 50,000 people we might begin to wonder if building a fourth library or a third arena makes financial sense.
The $117,000 paid for 1,200 registrations to Midland is maybe $8,000 more than Tiny paid back in 2014 (or thereabouts) so the increases have not been punitive.
But that money becomes a significant part of annual operating budgets and makes a difference to collections and service – as shown by the experience of Penetanguishene which has had to reduce hours and services because Tiny has cut its contributions.
To really improve library service for all in the area – and not just embark on expensive boosterism – Tiny might consider doubling or tripling their contributions to the three existing libraries and still save millions in capital and operating costs.
It’s hard to understand how Tiny’s council doesn’t see what a bargain they are getting.
It's interesting to note that the percentage of full-time residents in Tiny is shifting upwards as more people move permanently to the area so I understand the impulse to build.
But while there may be more people, their wide geographic distribution makes it hard to pick a spot in the township for a single library that would serve as conveniently as the three libraries that are already in place and available for a lot less money.
I haven’t included Tay in this discussion because they have, for historical reasons, gone their own way on libraries and outdoor rinks but they are part of North Simcoe where the recent history has been to move to area-wide initiatives such as the North Simcoe Economic Development Board, the Cultural Alliance in the Heart of Georgian Bay and the North Simcoe Community Futures Board to mention just a few. Midland and Penetanguishene also share a fire chief and a bus service.
These and other initiatives point to a trend we should be paying more attention to – a regional community using limited resources in creative ways to provide better services for all.
Bill Molesworth is a retired CEO and chief librarian of both the Midland and Fredericton public libraries.
