Barrie Public Library Faces Criticism Despite Low Budget and Pay Increases Compared to Police

On February 1, the Barrie Public Library Board presented its 2023 budget to the City Council at City Hall. Chair Austin Mitchell and CEO Lauren Jessop requested 10.2 million dollars, a 2.6 percent increase from the previous year. More than 60% of total will go towards the salaries while around 15% will be spend on library material and programs.

Lauren Jessop informed the council that last year, Barrie Public Library opened its third location, Holly Branch, at 555 Essa Road. This location joins Downtown and Painswick branches to further reduce barriers to accessing library services. 

“Since this space opened in August, residents are 'popping in' to attend programs, to use the meeting room and to borrow materials with many walking and biking over to enjoy the space,“ Jessop said. “Children's programming is especially popular at Holly with numbers matching what we were seeing at Painswick and downtown.“

The library also acquired an outreach van, expanded its library of things, and installed book kiosks in Barrie recreation centers. With over 34,000 members and 340,000 visitors, the library has greatly increased its reach within the city.

Jessop said, “supporting literacy is at the core of what we do, with 45% of Canadians lacking the literacy, numeracy and digital skills to thrive in the knowledge economy. The opportunities we offer to support learning and personal growth at any age are more important than ever.“

Ann-Marie Kungl. Ward 3 councillor, praised the board for its transparency in providing performance updates. 

Amy Courser, Ward 4 councilor said she uses the library with her “son all the time“ and “I just think you guys do an incredible job.”

However, Deputy Mayor Robert Thompson was critical of the library's proposed 3.5% increase in benefits, yet he didn't take issue with the police's proposed 5.2% increase in salaries and benefits during the police budget presentation.