Ontario Library Services in northern Ontario face job cuts

Libraries across northern Ontario say it's clear the provincial cuts to the Ontario Library Service will impact programs and services beyond just the interlibrary loan.

In a written release Thursday, the 55northern Ontario libraries announced they had been informed May 9 that half the unionized staff jobs five full time equivalent positions at Ontario Library Services - North (OLSN), hadbeen eliminated, and another unionizedposition was being reduced to part time. They were told the job losses were due to recent cuts to the operating budget of OLSNannounced during the provincial budget.

Additionallythey were also told that one non-unionized position, froma total of five, will be eliminated by the end of this fiscal year and another non-unionized position is beingreduced to part-time.

According to the release, none of the peoplewho lost their position at OLSN were involved in the administration of the interlibrary loan service.

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"The positions that were lost at OLS-North provided direct support to Northern Libraries for staff and board training initiatives, services to First Nations Libraries, technology consulting, policy and strategic planning consulting, website development for small libraries, and administrationof joint purchasing agreements and support for the Joint Automation Service Initiatives program, which provides essentiallibrary software to 133 rural and northern library systems across Ontario," the release stated.

Libraries in communities covering the vast region from Kenora to Sault Ste. Marie, as well as First Nations and the bilingualBibliothque publique Iroquois Falls Public Library are calling on the provincial government to halt thecuts and restore valuable jobs in northern Ontario.

"The diminished capacity of OLS-NOrth to deliver those programs will negatively impact our public libraries, and we believe that even programs and services that are maintained will operate at a reduced capacity due to extensive personnel cuts," the release said, adding that they are "dismayed" that the government didnot consultthem before making these cuts.