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Library book sale is needed more than ever By Dominik Kurek OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF Some municipal service budgets are cut or lag behind inflation or population growth. The story is the same for the Oakville Public Library system, says the local library fundraising group Friends of the Library, which is hoping to maintain or improve services, despite a shrinking budget from the Town. "The library is being attacked in the sense that the budget has had to be cut," said Maureen Rudzik, chair of the Friends, who said the library could see a cut in its budget as great as 10 per cent in the coming year. "The 10 per cent is a lot of money. It's now the time, in the economic downswing, that we know people turn to the library for information." She said she is concerned about the library system's wellbeing, which features a membership of 70 per cent of Oakville residents. "(Library staff) have been told to expect that the cut may be in the region of 10 per cent," she said. "It will mean closing down library hours in a time when we ought to be expanding them, and it means, by attrition, that this will reduce staff." For its part, the group wants to help. It is hosting its bi-annual book sale at the Central branch from Wednesday, Nov. 9 to Sunday, Nov. 13. Each year, the Friends of the Library raises $25,000 for the library system through two book sales and an ongoing Friendly Find book sale system. "We really do need support from the community because that's the only way we're going to keep the current library service," Rudzik said. The Friends have more than 500 boxes of f books, CDs and DVDs, to be sold at $1.25/lb. "We, the Friends, raise money for the library services that are over and above the tax-base," Rudzik said. "All the money spent at the book sale, every last dollar, every last cent, is given to the library." The Friends paid for putting in two e-book readers at each branch (one Kindle and one Kobo), digitization of library databases, supplying book kits to book clubs and providing programs to encourage teenagers to visit the library. ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER "We have gotten, very gratefully, a very big influx of teens. We have to have a place for them TEAMWORK: The Friends of the Library is holding a book sale, Nov. 9-13, at the Central branch of to study," she said. "We have so much going for the Oakville Public Library. From left, Maureen Rudzik, chair of the Friends, Judy Phillip, member of the teens now that I'm beginning to think next time, Friends, and Emma Murphy, Oakville Public Library marketing and communications officer, begin unpacking the books that will be on sale. let's concentrate on the older people." All efforts made by the Friends are in conjunction with the library system's wishes. "We do all sorts of things. The library usually tells us what it is they need that we can provide. We can't provide building," she said. www.halton.ca The opening day of the book sale on Wednesday, Nov. 9 is for Friends of the Library members only, from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday's sale runs from noon to 9 p.m., Friday's from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., and NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION Saturday's from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Sunday, Nov. 13, the last day of the event, all material will Construction of a 1200 mm Diameter Watermain be sold at half price, from 1 to 5 p.m. A Friends of f the Library membership costs $10. on Bronte Road (Regional Road 25) from The library is located at 120 Navy St. 17 · Friday, November 4, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com The Regional Municipality of Halton New Fall Arrivals · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · Westoak Trails Boulevard to Bruce Kitchen Reservoir and Pumping Station, Town of Oakville INGEBORG SHOES WAREHOUSE STORE Famous European Brand Names All Under One Roof · ROHDE · MEPHISTO · BIRKENSTOCK · RIEKER · ARA · Laser Hike Contract Number: Scheduled Start Date: Scheduled Completion Date: Project Manager: Making Halton a better place to live, work and retire. Gary Carr, r Regional Chair W-2228B -11 Fall, 2011 Summer, r 2012 Joe Proietti ext. 7613 INGEBORG'S WAREHOUSE 1681 FINFAR COURT, MISSISSAUGA Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9 to 5 - Sat. 10 to 5 - Sun. 11 to 4 (905) 823-7415 041111 LOOK FOR US ON Please let us know as soon as possible if you will have an accessibility or accommodation need at a Halton Region hosted event or meeting. 1151 Bronte Road, Oakville, Ontario L6M 3L1 Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 · Toll Free 1-866-442-5866 · TTY 905-827-9833 · www.halton.ca