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Sackville’s public library needs a new location with more space and better accessibility, says Merrill Fullerton, chair of the Sackville Library board.
Fullerton, along with library director Patricia Knockwood, presented their concerns and needs to Tantramar council at the last council meeting on February 10.
While the ask isn’t necessarily for a new building, the municipality must do something to address the current inadequate and outdated facilities, whether it be leasing or building, Fullerton said in his presentation.
“We don’t really care how you guys do it because that’s not really our mandate and it’s not the province’s mandate,” he said. “Your mandate is to provide the space. And right now, you know, that’s kind of questionable in terms of your partnership.”
Fullerton also said the board was open to the idea of the library being an “anchor tenant” for a multi-use building, as he acknowledged there are plenty of other groups in the municipality also looking for space.
In New Brunswick, the province handles delivery of service, library collections, staffing and the setting of policies and standards.
The municipality provides and maintains the facilities, including the building and IT infrastructure, and appoints a council representative to the library board, currently Councillor Michael Tower.
In 1984, thanks to grassroots, community-led fundraising, the current library opened, then a state-of-the-art facility.
Now, 40 years later, it isn’t.
For a population the size of Sackville’s—6,099 according to 2021 census data—the province recommends a space of at least 8,200 square feet.
Right now, the library is only about 4,600 square feet, but that includes the basement, which is only accessible by walking down a narrow flight of stairs, effectively cutting the usable space in half. And in order to accommodate events and programming, staff have to move all the furniture from the children’s area to have enough room, Fullerton said.
That’s why the request also includes a multi-purpose room, at least 600 square feet, to be used for programming and events, which could be rented out when not in use.
Over the past two years, membership grew from about 2,600 to just over 3,100 and the yearly visitor count increased by 15.5 per cent, Fullerton said during the presentation.
Other significant increases include programming, with about 900 more participants, circulation by 27.6 per cent, and computer use by 33.5 per cent.
The increase in circulation prompted Mayor Andrew Black to ask what an expanded space would mean for the collection.
Knockwood said the library currently houses almost 14,000 items, when it should be about 24,000.
“I think I have everything at 40 inches between each shelving,” said Knockwood, “and then if I were to add any more, that’s gone. And then any space for seating or play, anything like that is gone. So right now, literally the shelving is the most we can put in.”
And speaking of renting, that was one of the options discussed during questions by council, with Councillor Tower being the first to bring it up.
“ So basically, when you’re talking to leasing, you’re talking about a private partnership possibly.”
Fullerton said that was one possibility and later said there were eigh communities currently leasing facilities: Rogersville, Moncton, Dorchester, Saint John, Saint John West, Chatham, Shediac and Port Elgin.
The topic of fundraising also came up, both during the presentation and questions from council. Fullerton said, for its part, the board is willing, but without a plan, reluctant.
“ At this point, it’s hard to ask for money because we’re like, what are we asking it for? So that’s kind of where we are,” he said. “But you know, I think we’re open to doing outreach and shaking trees if we need to.”
