Public libraries continue to be a treasured public space and resource for residents of Regina and Saskatoon. Far too often, policymakers who may not actually frequent public libraries view them as an anachronism—thinking of them as mere repositories of books, ignorant of the vast array of services and programming that modern libraries currently offer.
Recall the government’s justification for the proposed elimination of library funding in 2017 when then-Education Minister Don Morgan cited drops in items checked out as the rationale for making multi-million dollar cuts to public libraries across the province. Public outrage and protests over the cuts ultimately forced the government to back down, with Premier Brad Wall admitting the proposed cuts had been a “mistake.”
Let’s compare public library usage to attendance at major sporting events in Saskatchewan. The numbers don’t lie—Regina and Saskatoon libraries are significantly more popular than some of the province’s biggest sporting events. The chart below demonstrates the continued value of a public library system that often must beg and plead for public funding versus sports stadiums and event centres that are often showered with public money even when public support for these projects is muted at best. Regina residents endured a dedicated mill rate increase of 0.45 every year for 10 consecutive years to pay for a new Mosaic stadium that many simply cannot access due to the rising cost of ticket prices. Despite these public subsidies, the stadium continues to be a perennial money-loser for the city.
Seeing the disparity between public usage of libraries versus stadiums and arenas might make us contemplate what kinds of public venues are most deserving of taxpayer support.
Some will argue that such a comparison is faulty because libraries are free while sporting events are not. This is obviously true—sports events cost money to attend and are not accessible for most of the year as libraries are. However, this argument misses the point.
If sports venues were entirely financed with private money we wouldn’t be having this debate. But these venues suck up significant amounts of public money that could go to other priorities—and they are often of dubious economic value.
Indeed, if there is anything like a consensus in the economic profession, it is that public funding of arenas and stadiums is a poor economic development strategy and that franchises, stadiums, and arenas may be harmful rather than beneficial to the local community,” according to a 2015 study.
The economic impact of libraries, on the other hand, is undeniable, but in ways that may escape those that are unfamiliar with the services and programming available in a modern library system.
Obviously, libraries continue to play a vital role in fostering early literacy and childhood development. But libraries are also vital hubs for job-seekers, with many libraries providing job information, technology training and other career services. They are vital to new immigrants, offering english language courses, tax filing information sessions and adult literacy programs to help newcomers navigate their adopted country. Many libraries also host small business programs to support local entrepreneurs. No other venue can generate the kinds of foot-traffic that public libraries can, directly benefiting local business in the area.
We need to appreciate the economic, social and cultural impact that public libraries bring to our communities so that they receive the same kinds of enthusiasm for public investment that sports arenas and stadiums do.
