By Alec Bruce, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Guysborough Journal
MULGRAVE: With expanded services and a renewed commitment to community good works in the new year, Eastern Counties Regional Library (ECRL) is re-writing the rulebook on building relationships with the municipalities it serves, says its chief executive officer.
“I think everybody is interested in doing better and more for the community,” Laura Emery told The Journal in a recent year-end interview. “I think the province has a real understanding of the reach of public libraries. Strengthening relations with [our] municipal partners [ensures] that we [bring] the best that we can to the community.”
According to ECRL’s 2023-24 annual report, the signs are promising. In one year, the number of new users at its nine branches in Cape Breton and northeastern Nova Scotia communities – including Guysborough, Canso and Sherbrooke – has jumped by 871, which included 57 at the Cyril Ward Memorial Public Library in Guysborough, 41 at the Canso Public Library and 89 at the Sherbrooke Public Library.
As well, the report shows, circulation (books and other reading materials) was 16 per cent higher in all locations – to 95,000 units, from 80,000, in 2022-23. That included a 20 per cent increase in Guysborough alone – to 11,131 from 9,207. Meanwhile, branch hours increased to 14,227, from 13,041, system wide.
Even more notable was the growth in the number of public library programs – to 328 from 164 – and their growing attendance – to 2,000 from just more than 1,000 between 2022-23 and 2023-24.
Wrote ECRL board chair Clair Rankin in the annual report: “Increased in-person programming [provided] more opportunities for community members to engage and learn … demonstrating the value of flexible learning options. Increasing partnerships and better supporting local library staff helped to make these changes happen. Clearly, working with the community and our municipal partners is the way foreword.”
This hasn’t always been easy. The oldest and one of the largest regional library systems, by geographic area, in Nova Scotia – catering to more than 32,000 residents the counties of Guysborough, Inverness, and Richmond, as well as the Town of Port Hawkesbury – ECRL receives two-thirds of its roughly $1-million annual budget from the provincial government. It gets the rest from four municipal councils, with which it’s in regular contact but, historically, not always in agreement.
One well-publicized dispute with the Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s council over funding, for example, actually went to provincial mediation in 2022. The issue was resolved in April of this year when both parties signed a memorandum of understanding to enhance collaboration and communications between them.
“To create such a specific agreement with one of our partners and really formalize ways that we can always be working together, always be communicating and bringing the best to the community, is historic,” Emery told local media at the announcement in Mulgrave at the time.
Today, she’s even more adamant about making things work collaboratively.
“Positive actions organically lead to a more positive and encouraging environment,” she told The Journal. “I think we’re certainly heading in a good direction.”
Much of that may have to do with the provincial government’s growing realization that at a time of rising costs and housing shortages, rural libraries in general and ECRL, in particular, have important roles to play in shoring up the social and even economic well being of their communities. Additional provincial funding – not related to core programming – is helping ECRL position itself as a community hub.
Over the past year, Rankin noted in the annual report, “Eastern Counties Regional Library expanded its role in supporting community well-being. Special funding from the province [has] allow[ed] ECRL to give away menstrual products, diapers and incontinence pads to help with the increasing cost of living. We’ve been distributing COVID-19 test kits for a few years, so these new offerings easily fit into our library locations. Items are on display, and people can drop by and pick up what they or their family and friends need.”
The library has also established seed banks at its branches and recently received a $42,000 contribution from the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism, and Heritage to conduct strategic planning and community engagement on potential, new initiatives.
“It is a tremendous example of how public libraries can do so much more to benefit the community if they have the funding,” Rankin concluded in his message. “My hope is this trend of special project funding will continue.”
Certainly, ECRL’s efforts have not gone unnoticed among some of its municipal partners. At the Nov. 20 Municipality of the District of Guysborough regular council meeting, Councillor Mary Desmond (district #2) praised the “vibrancy” and “informative” content of this year’s annual report. Warden Paul Long added: “There seems to be a greater sense of cooperation and collegiality between the library and municipalities.”
Said Emery: “I am very happy to hear that. I think provincial funding for community initiatives … has demonstrated the additional value that a library can bring to a community. And that’s probably helping with the positive perception of the Eastern Counties Regional Library. Things are starting to turn around and, you know … that’s great.”