As usual, Tammy Robert has done some excellent journalism in writing about the history of libraries in the province, the parallels to arguments to earlier times when libraries were falsely attacked for being outdated or bad investments, and how the current government has long voiced support for libraries which makes their recent cuts especially nonsensical.
Her final point is the most relevant and one that I’ve wondered myself – even if a government misunderstood the value of modern public libraries and/or misread the public’s love of libraries (the “Save Sask Libraries” group on Facebook recently surpassed 7000 members!), why would they proceed with these cuts at great harm to, not just the province but also to themselves and their chances to maintain power in the future?
The good news is I suspect that we’re going to see some effort at damage control from the Saskatchewan government, restoring that $3.5 million library funding, at least in part, in the near future.
Not because it’s the right thing to do, mind you.
No, rather because in no world does it make any sense for a political party to continue to inflict this kind of damage on itself over $3.5 million.
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