HALIFAX – Hants West MLA Chuck Porter says it would be a mistake for the province to try and save money at the expense of Nova Scotia's public libraries.
 
Nova Scotia's chief librarians have been told the Department of Education may reduce the libraries' annual operating budget by $300,000. The funding cut would specifically impact Internet access currently available at public libraries across the province.
 
Porter says Nova Scotia libraries are far too valuable to be on the receiving end of cutbacks that could result in the discontinuation of Internet service at some branches.
 
"Rural residents who do not have home Internet service depend on their local library for access to online resources, email and employment search sites," Porter said. "These areas lack the alternatives available to urban residents, such as Internet cafes and job search facilities."
 
In many libraries, Internet service is required to operate essential book cataloguing and checkout systems.
 
"There is no question that cutting $300,000 from the provincial budget is going to change the way our libraries function, and negatively impact the level of service they are able to provide."
 
More than 320,000 Nova Scotians have a free library membership card and use it to borrow about 7.2 million books each year.
 
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For more information, please contact:
Janna MacGregor
Public Relations Officer
NS Progressive Conservative Caucus
Tel: 902.424.5238
Cell: 902.499.9948
Fax: 902.424.7484
macgrejl@gov.ns.ca