Membership up at the library

Times Reporter   

 

At the Feb. 5 regular town council meeting during her committee reports Councillor Denise Peterson discussed news from the Strathmore Municipal Library and WADEMSA. 

The library has seen an increase of 37 per cent in e-book borrowing. There were a number of increases overall, including a 26 per cent increase in new library memberships. 

“Which is wonderful when people think that libraries are becoming redundant, certainly we’re finding in our community that because of the way our library has structured itself to meet new media and digital response that it’s actually growing,” said Peterson. 

WADEMSA is still looking good after their successful contract talks with Alberta Health Services last year. The number of calls received was up by five per cent for 2012. WADEMSA has recently increased their staff, adding one paramedic, and three EMTS. As of Jan. 20, staff are no longer on call 24/7, and instead they are now able to have 12-hour shifts.

On May 31 WADEMSA will celebrate 25 years of operation; Peterson said to stay tuned for details. 

The week of Feb. 23 to March 1 was declared Freedom to Read Week. Freedom to Read Week is an annual event that encourages Canadians to think about their right to intellectual freedom, which is guaranteed under the Charter of Rights in Freedom.