A message from the Association of B.C. Public Library Directors:
Provincial Funding for Public Libraries is Overdue
Since a 25% cut in 2009, provincial funding to B.C.’s public libraries has been largely frozen.
That’s 15 years of rising costs, population growth, and increasing service demands — without sustained funding.
Public libraries make life more affordable for families. They help to build a strong, future-facing workforce. They are community hubs to integrate newcomers, connect people to services, and provide a safe place to be.
By providing critical supports—knowledge, culture, health, reconciliation, belonging, and our democracy — B.C.’s public libraries are fulfilling government mandates.
Investment in public libraries is essential to B.C.’s post-pandemic recovery, competitiveness, and resilience. Without consistent core funding, local libraries will be forced to reduce services.
It’s time to increase the annual provincial grant to B.C.’s public libraries.
We’re overdue.
At the UBCM 2024 Convention, several resolutions are calling for immediate action to secure sustainable and increased provincial funding for BC's public libraries. These resolutions emphasize the urgent need for long-term, predictable core funding to help libraries meet the rising demands of their communities, including a proposed annual increase to $30 million, adjusted for inflation. Now is the time for the provincial government to provide the support necessary for BC's libraries to thrive.