Marigold Library supported by Wheatland County

Times Contributor    

 

An ever expanding demand for information is hitting the Marigold library system and more service requires more funding.

“We have not stood still over the last five years. It is like we are on high speed internet mode,” said Marigold Library Director Michelle Toombs.

Toombs presented the many advances the library has made for the patrons in Wheatland County in council on June 9. She commented that usage is increasing due to population growth and patron demand for digital services. She gave examples of some of the new digital sites such as Zinio, a digital magazine site, Career Cruising, Grant Connect and Tumblebooks. These were added to the many other services offered online and in the local libraries in the towns, hamlets and villages of Wheatland County. The breakdown of services can be reviewed at the Marigold Library website www.marigold.ab.ca, or under the June 9 agenda at www.wheatlandcounty.ca.  

The Marigold office building is located in Strathmore, but the building is 60 years old and deteriorating. Marigold has been saving to build a new facility. They have about $1.5 million saved towards the $5 million cost to build a facility that would meet the book distribution and digital hardware housing needed to keep up services in the future. Over 668,000 books are shipped in and out of the current facility per year.

In order to meet increasing needs for this area, the per capita levy fees that Wheatland pays the Marigold system had to be raised 10.44 per cent to $8.99 for 2015 and another 4.4 per cent to $9.39 per capita for 2016.  Toombs said the funds would be supplemented by any grants awarded to Marigold and fund raising the system does on a regular basis.

“They use every penny they are given and are not wasting money,” said Councillor Berniece Bland. “They do a lot of good work in the community and provide a necessary service.”

Council voted to accept the per capita increase for Marigold on June 17.