As citizens of the Lakes District, we are concerned about the status of the Burns Lake Public Library. It is our understanding that relations between library staff and the board of trustees have deteriorated to the point where two of the library’s three remaining senior staff members – the Interlibrary Loan Clerk and the Assistant Director – have resigned.

The Burns Lake Public Library has been a successful organization for more than 50 years. It has enjoyed a stable workforce, and its board of directors and staff members have worked well together. Only a year ago, the Burns Lake Public Library won an award for its community service, and one of the resigning employees was recognized for her excellent public service. The library was a happy place to work (and play), and staff members did not indicate any desire to seek alternative employment.

Clearly, something has changed at the Burns Lake Public Library. As library users, we are concerned that without the services of experienced staff members, the institution will be unable to meet its mandate or provide the level of service members of the public have come to expect from their library – at least in the short-term.

We call upon the association’s board of trustees to immediately convene a special meeting of the members to address these concerns, outline its plans for dealing with the current staffing deficit, and share details of its proposed “organizational plan.”