Orillia Public Library Forced To Cut Service
By John Swartz
UPDATED
The fallout from last week’s provincial budget is becoming reality as the Southern Ontario Library Service (SOLS) today cut all inter-library loan services.
Thursday evening just before 9 p.m. the Orillia Public Library posted on their Facebook page: “due to recent provincial budget cuts, all inter-library loan service in Ontario has been discontinued effective immediately. All interlibrary loan materials are being recalled, and no new requests will be accepted.”
Reached immediately by phone, OPL CEO, Suzanne Campbell said it was not a local decision.
“They (SOLS) were notified April 11th,” of A 50% budget cut Campbell said. SOLS only had a $3 million budget. “They are putting things on hold until they can decide how those cuts are going to be made.”
SOLS also provides services like group buying power among libraries for eBooks and online data bases.
“I don’t know it’s been permanently discontinued, but it’s certainly not a service they are providing right now. I’ll be bringing to the library board at our board meeting for a response,” said Campbell. The board meets next week.
Neither SOLS or the Ontario Library Service North (also lost 50%) were informed budgets had been cut until the day after the province’s budget was delivered.
There is no word yet of any affect to the provinces annual grants to libraries. The Orillia Public library’s grant has remained the same at approximately $49,000 for more than 20 years.
UPDATE: Susanne Campbell received an email from SOLS CEO Barbara
Franchetto this evening informing that the inter-library loan service is permanently cut.
(Photo by Swartz – SUNonline/Orillia)
