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Library details fundraising goals

Feb 10, 2019 | 1:00 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The Medicine Hat Public Library unveiled its new goals for fundraising Friday night.

The library held its annual Lovin’ the Library event on Friday, bringing community members into the library after hours for food, entertainment, and to showcase new programs and resources at the library.

During the event, Ken Feser, the chief librarian, spoke to those in attendance about the library and the new fundraising focus. Rather than hold a gala event each year, he says Lovin’ The Library will now be the name of the organization’s fundraising efforts, and gave an update on the current status of the library.

Feser notes this year, the Library is facing a shortfall of approximately $87,000, due to a reduction in municipal funding (roughly 74 per cent of the library’s funding each year comes from the City of Medicine Hat), and the loss of a grant from Cypress County.

“I feel like we’ll be okay, we are going be able to handle our operations, keep the doors open and the lights on,” Feser told those in attendance. “We’re going to have to juggle a few things, shave a little here and there, but it’s not going to a meat axe, it’s going to be a scalpel. I don’t feel too bad about that.

“But, I would say we don’t have any money to do anything new or anything fancy. If we’re going to do those sorts of things, we’re going to have to fundraise the money.”

Feser said the library has several major goals for fundraising in the coming years. He says they’re is hoping to replace aging furniture throughout the building, and they’re also looking at eventually adding satellite services, such as smart lockers, which are used in Airdrie.

“You can put a material on hold, and specify this is where you want to pick it up, and then you truck over there, put your card in, the door opens, and you go and get your stuff,” he said.

Feser adds another long-term goal for the library is a revamp of the children’s section, “and make a space the children deserve,” he said.

At the end of the meeting, Feser encouraged people to sign up for library cards.

Donation information can be found here