Libraries start first chapter of reopening Union local president suggests city slowing process to save money By: Malak Abas Posted: 7:00 PM CDT Monday, Jun. 8, 2020

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This article was published 07/06/2020 (1565 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

As several city libraries begin the process of reopening, the city is being accused of dragging its feet on the resumption of an important public service.

As of Monday, the Winnipeg Public Library is allowing people to pick up held books from Millennium Library, the Henderson Library and the Pembina Trail Library during limited weekday hours. Entrance is only granted to people picking up books, and returns along with other library services, are still shut down.

The limited amount of staff and the limited number of hours is cause for alarm for library workers, CUPE Local 500 president Gord Delbridge said.

“It seems that it’s more that they’re trying to balance their budget on this important public service, and that’s a concern for us,” he said.

Before coronavirus concerns forced libraries to close, the city was proposing closing several public libraries permanently to meet budget goals. After public pushback, the city reneged on its proposal, instead including a requirement that all libraries close on Sundays and by 8 p.m. on other days as part of the city’s operating budget.

Delbridge suggested the city was “taking advantage” of COVID closures to slow the library reopening process in an attempt to save funds.

“We see restaurants opening, and I think that we can still practice levels of precaution with the amount of people that are coming into the facility and so on could be monitored, as it is elsewhere,” he said.

“It seems that it’s more that they’re trying to balance their budget on this important public service, and that’s a concern for us.” – CUPE Local 500 president Gord Delbridge

Delbridge said he has been in conversation with several city councillors about the limited reopening of libraries and said some have agreed with his concerns.

“I think that there is going to be some discussion coming up at committee meetings and whatnot with respect to libraries, I anticipate there will, just from the response I’ve heard from some of the councillors,” he said.

Libraries across the country are slowly beginning to open their doors to the public again.

Calgary has begun its reopening process. Libraries are included in Phase 2 of Alberta’s reopening strategy, which is set to begin June 19, but curbside pickup will be made available at most locations by June 9. Meanwhile, 14 of New Brunswick’s 63 libraries have reopened with certain restrictions, including the removal of computer stations and the closure of meeting rooms. As of Monday afternoon, New Brunswick has had 146 confirmed cases of COVID-19 overall and 24 currently active. The public Central Library in Vancouver is offering appointment-only computer lab usage.

Winnipeg is “probably a bit low” in terms of library reopening rates, but still in line with the rest of the country, according to Canadian Urban Libraries Council executive director Jefferson Gilbert, who said a wider reopening even in a city with a low number of active COVID-19 cases would be easier said than done.

The work done to properly prep libraries for proper physical-distancing measures — Gilbert suggested plexiglass barriers for staff and extensive new cleaning procedures as examples — will require more time.

“Imagine trying to open a 21-branch system with all of those complexities, let alone the staff retraining,” he said.

He also noted that ideally, libraries should be working towards increased interactions with people – citing libraries in Calgary that have encouraged staff mingling with patrons – and called reopening with increased restrictions this early a possible setback for that work.

In Winnipeg, Andy Stupak brought three books to return to the Millennium library Monday, before being turned away due to current restrictions. He said the city should be working to loosen restrictions on library access faster.

“Even to get in here is like going through an international airport,” he said. “It’s ridiculous.”

Pauline Dussault, another visitor who stopped by the library right when it opened to pick up a DVD she had put on hold before the coronavirus pandemic, said she felt the rules made sense.

“A mild inconvenience is really what it is, let’s be honest,” she said. “A mild inconvenience. Most of us have Netflix, most of us have other things — we have books to read at home already that we haven’t read, let’s do it now.”

malak.abas@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: malakabas_

Malak Abas
Reporter

Malak Abas is a reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press.

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