The Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library Board has launched a new fundraising initiative to help offset rising costs.
According to a June 23 news release, public libraries are busier than ever. As costs continue to rise, and expectations for library services, programs, and resources keep growing, funding pressures are increasing.
Core provincial government funding for public libraries has remained unchanged since 2020.
The newest Annapolis Valley Regional Library board member says he wants to give the biggest push he can to save branches that are slated to close.
The regional library board’s chief executive officer Julia Merritt announced a major restructuring of services on June 1, including the closure of the Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Middleton, and Port Williams branches effective July 20. Nine full-time equivalent positions will be eliminated.
“Closing them should be a last resort, not a first resort,” Kentville Mayor Andrew Zebian said.
Vacant provincial appointee positions on the Annapolis Valley Regional Library (AVRL) board are not the reason why the decision to close five branches wasn’t communicated in advance to government officials.
Following the June 1 announcement of the branch closures, Kings North MLA and Finance Minister John Lohr was among the government officials to issue statements on social media.
The statement said he was “surprised and disappointed by AVRL’s decision to close half of their library services. Everyone has the right to be upset and ask questions, including why the decision was made.”
The members of Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada invite you to participate in their fourth annual free online conference.
Conference Date: August 21st, 2026
Location: Online (registration forthcoming)
Time: 1:00 pm-5:00 pm Atlantic Daylight Time
Proposal deadline: July 2nd, 2026
Potential Topics:
The theme of this year’s conference is Hopepunk: Neurodiversity, GLAM, and Neurodivergent Knowledge Justice
“Knowledge justice is based on the principle that each person has the equal capacity to be knowledgeable, yet this right is often denied to individuals based on the social identities they hold. It also involves recognizing that some knowledge systems, particularly those of Indigenous peoples, have been purposefully ignored, eliminated, or silenced.”
What is Knowledge Justice? – Knowledge Justice in the Helping Professions
Knowledge justice impacts us as neurodivergent information practitioners through our practice, and in our communities and workplaces. It asks us to consider how we work professionally and personally to counter misinformation and address inequities as information professionals.
Hopepunk is a subgenre of speculative fiction and art that focuses on optimism, gentleness, kindness, and collaboration as effective weapons in the fight to create a better future.
This year we invite submissions that respond to how the concept of Hopepunk shows up at the intersection of information professions and neurodivergence. Of particular interest is how we can engage with Hopepunk and knowledge justice themes to build sustainable affirming communities in the face of job cuts, funding cuts, gaslighting, lack of inclusion, and injustice.
“Fairy tales do not tell children the dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
– G.K. Chesterton
Presentations, panels, and lightning talks may relate to, but are not limited to:
For those interested, the conference will conclude with a “Five Minute Fascinators” event where participants are invited to talk about a special interest for five minutes and why they think it is so interesting. If you are interested in participating, a call will go out less formally the day of the conference.
After the conference there will be a channel created on the Neuro-GLAM-orous Canada Discord server for ongoing discussions and follow up to discussions raised during the event and where links to recordings will be posted.
Guidelines
We invite proposals for individual presentations as well as for panel submissions.
Presentations and panel discussions can be pre-recorded or delivered live.
For individual presentations, please submit:
For complete panels, please submit:
At Neuro-GLAM-erous Canada we believe that the personal and professional are political, and encourage participants to think of themselves as whole beings. The sphere of vulnerability this creates will require tact and understanding. While this is a space to learn and be vulnerable; however, harassment, bigotry, and bad-faith actors will not be tolerated.
Submit proposals:
By form: NeuroGLAM 2026: Conference Call for Proposals – Fill out form
Or return attached template to: neuroglamcon@gmail.com
Direct questions to: neuroglamcon@gmail.com
Additional information can be found here
Officials with the Nova Scotia government and Annapolis Valley Regional Library have agreed to another meeting as the book is set to close on five branches next month.
The library’s board announced plans on June 1 to close branches in Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Port Williams and Middleton as of July 20 due to funding pressures.
Julia Merritt, CEO of the regional library, said in an interview Monday that the next meeting has yet to be scheduled. But she said without an increase in funding, the closures will go ahead.
Kentville’s mayor says the town should have been part of any talks about the future of its library before the branch was selected for closure.
The Kentville Library is one of five Annapolis Valley Regional Library branches slated to close July 20.
Branches in Hantsport, Lawrencetown, Middleton and Port Williams are also scheduled to close.
Work on a new waterfront library in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) has been delayed as the proposed commercial space at the site has expanded.
Last December, the CBRM council approved a project for the Central Library on the Sydney Waterfront. The building, which would be made in partnership with Doucet Developments, would also feature residential units and commercial spaces along the boardwalk.
The developer had originally agreed to submit building permits by late June, but now says it will be able to finalize its designs and development permit submission by October.
“According to the developer, site work is expected to begin in late summer/early fall as construction activities commence,” a staff report to council reads.
Council approved the extension at a special meeting on Monday.
According to the staff report, the developer has increased the proposed number of residential units from 138 to approximately 186, which represents a 36 per cent increase. The expanded design is expected to provide up to 8,000 square feet of additional commercial space.
The library space, which is planned to occupy 35,000 square feet on the ground floor of the building, would replace the James McConnell Memorial Library, which opened in 1960 and expanded in 1987. The municipality has noted the older building no longer meets the technology and accessibility needs of the community.
The municipality previously said the new library is expected to open in 2028.
Source: CTV News Nova Scotia
As five library branches in the Annapolis Valley face closure due to funding pressures, Chester is taking a different approach.
South Shore Public Libraries has opened a new branch in the community, expanding access to library services at a time when library systems across Nova Scotia are warning about financial challenges.
The contrast is not lost on CEO and Chief Librarian Ashley Nunn-Smith.
The Pictou Antigonish Regional Library is taking more steps to secure additional funding to maintain programming.
Chief Librarian Eric Stackhouse says they are currently setting up donation stations at each branch allowing users to make cash donations or electronically through their debit and credit cards. Stackhouse says another measure is establishing a fund to help PARL remain on stable financial footing.
Stackhouse says the board is trying to be realistic with financial support from the province not expected to increase, while trying to meet the needs of its users.
Source: 989 XFM
Students will see more of their own stories reflected on school bookshelves as Prince Edward Island’s novel selection committee brings in books that offer more perspectives.
The committee, made up of teachers and education staff, selects new novels to add to P.E.I. classrooms each year.
Lauren Key, who teaches English at Summerside Intermediate School, said her goal is to foster a love of reading in her students.
“We set reading goals, we talk about reading, we talk about what students are reading. We make it part of our culture here at our school,” she said.
“When you’re trying to foster a love of reading … it’s very important that they’re able to see themselves within the text.”
