Peterborough Library Workers Ask: “What Is a Library Without Librarians?”

PETERBOROUGH, Ontario--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Following a city council demand for $120,000 in budget cuts, the Peterborough Public Library management has informed workers they will be laying off three of the library’s four full-time unionized librarians.

“What management is talking about is getting rid of three highly trained people each with more than 15 years of service at the library,” said Patricia Scoffield, president of CUPE 1833. “These aren’t people or positions that are easily replaced, and the work still needs to get done.”

The positions include the Children’s Librarian, who is well known and respected by families and who is responsible for fostering early literacy and connection in the community. They also include the Adult Programmer, who leads such successful programs as Living and Aging Well, and One Book, One Ptbo. And the Access Services Librarian, who oversees the online catalogue and ensures timely availability of materials for the public.

“Librarians earn specialized Masters degrees that make them uniquely qualified to work in a library, understand the social impact they make on a community and advocate for safe spaces for everyone to come together. The elimination of these positions will hurt the families and communities who rely on the library, its services and its programming as much as it will hurt all of us who work here,” said Scoffield.

Library management has stated they plan a restructuring that will replace the three librarian positions with one Outreach Coordinator and a less qualified programming position, meaning the library will end up with half the number of librarians. Management has acknowledged the change will mean a reduction in the amount of programming offered, said Scoffield. Programs like Baby & Me, Parent-Child Mother Goose, Trail Tales and the Adult Book Club.

While city council is asking management to make these cuts, the library CEO has been promoted, is receiving a pay raise and has received Library Board approval to use reserve funds to collect two years of retroactive raises.

“The Library CEO asked the Board to use reserves for her retro pay, but did not ask to use reserves to prevent layoffs,” said Scoffield. “At a time when other municipalities are recognizing the importance of libraries and the incredible pressures faced by library workers on the front lines of the housing, overdose and mental health crises, we can’t help but feel abandoned by management.”

cj/cope491