Ottawa library services are well used and well loved. Last year the Ottawa Public Library had almost 5 million visits to its 33 branches. However, funding has not increased to keep pace with the growth of our communities. This has left our libraries stretched to the maximum. And now the city has proposed to cut the library budget by 10% plus additional efficiency targets. These cuts could force the library to close 1 in 3 community branches, close remaining branches one day a week, and fire over 60 employees However, in response to the strong community reaction against proposed library closures, other alternatives are being explored based on the possibility of smaller budget cuts. While this would keep our community branches from closing completely, it would still mean reduced collections, fewer hours of service, no growth positions to help keep up service for our growing communities, and delays or cancellation of new branch openings such as the new central library and the branch currently planned for the west end. Any cuts to our library services will have serious negative repercussions for our communities. Our libraries offer critical support for youth and students, seniors, newcomers to Canada, researchers, small businesses and other important and growing sectors of our community. Ottawa residents and businesses simply cannot keep pace in a global knowledge-based economy without access to strong libraries and the research tools they provide. Simply put, well-funded libraries build strong communities. We therefore request that Mayor O\'Brien and the Ottawa City Council exempt the Ottawa Public Library from the budget cuts currently under discussion. Please sign the petition below and help stop library cuts.

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