Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library Petition

The petition below (http://WSLibraryPetition.blogspot.com) is addressed to the Mayor and Councillors of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville. It is designed to raise awareness of the severe materials, space, and staffing needs of the public library, and of chronic funding neglect. The proposal is to increase per person library funding to the provincial average by 2015, and to begin immediately to develop plans for a library expansion. Materials: In 2007, the library held 4.73 titles per person. In 2011, down to 2.64 titles per person In 2009, the library held 87,558 titles; provincially the average for municipalities our size was 143,500 titles. In 2011, Library Board was forced to flat-line material purchases at 2010 levels in order to get a much needed extra staff person. Space Current facility: 13,121 square feet, built in 2001 (town pop: 22,859). Today's population is 38,650. Provincial guidelines: 65,625 sq. ft minimum for a central, stand-alone library building in Ontario, serving between 35,000 and 75,000 residents (5x larger than current library = size of new Canadian Tire Store with Garden Centre!) Expansion plans have been postponed from 2009, to 2014 and now past the four year term of present council. Staffing In 2011, first new full-time position created in over a decade, but only at the cost of flat-lining material acquisitions at 2010 levels and cutting part-time hours. 2001 (pop. 22,859): 9.61 staff (full-time equivalent); library visitors in person: 100,150; circulation: 116,166 2009 (pop. 34,300; up 50% from '01): 9.91 staff (up only 3% from '01); library visitors in person: 173,300 (2008; up 73%; '09 stats not available); circulation: 183,915 (up 58% from '01) Provincial guidelines: 1 staff per 2000 residents. Translated: 19 library staff (FTE) for W-S's current pop. of 38,650. In 2011, the Library could finally hire a 10th staff (FTE). Funding Library portion of Town's operating expenses dropped from 5.1% in 2004 to 3% in 2007 and to an historic low of 2% in 2011. Between 2009 and 2010, per capita library expenditures fell 8%, from $25.43 to $23.44. Recreation programming & facilities increased 34%, from $127 to $170.33 Between 2006 and 2010, per person expenditures for the library declined from $29.39 to $23.44. In 2009, W-S library funding was 43% below the provincial average for communities of similar size (2010 BMA, p. 124). In contrast, W-S's recreation programming and facilities funding has averaged 11% above the provincial average. Petition: We, residents of Whitchurch-Stouffville, petition Town Council to develop and approve a plan to increase per person library funding to the provincial average by 2015, and to begin immediately to develop plans for a library expansion. Presentation: Whitchurch-Stouffville Town Council Meeting, Tues., Sept. 6, 2011, 7pm Petition Coordinator: Dr. Arnold Neufeldt-Fast (PhD, MA); WSLibraryPetition@gmail.com Sign Petition online: http://WSLibraryPetition.blogspot.com