Library a key part of any community

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 08/05/2022 (1456 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Libraries are the cornerstone of healthy communities — plain and simple.

There are countless social benefits attached to libraries. Anyone with a membership card can check out a book, access a computer, connect to Wi-Fi, register for programs; the list goes on. For people who don’t own a computer or can’t afford internet, libraries are a major resource.

And all of this is made available to a person in one space and for the most part, at no cost. There are very few places outside of libraries where a person can do these things for free. Libraries are therefore a critical piece of social infrastructure in every community.

That’s why it would be worth the City of Brandon’s time, money and energy to revamp the Western Manitoba Regional Library’s downtown location. As reported by the Sun, the city unveiled plans last week to redesign the facility, which is located in The Town Centre along Rosser Avenue. The WMRL has a second location in Shoppers Mall.

If the project moves forward, the library will carve out some space for the Brandon General Museum and Archives and build better access to the Art Gallery of Southwestern Manitoba on the second floor, with common areas that link all these facilities together.

The redesign would also involve installing a new street-level main entrance, new windows and a storefront location to highlight the BGMA’s current exhibits. The blueprint presents an overall contemporary and beautiful space. Project organizers are hoping the centre becomes a “cultural hub” in Brandon. The city is accepting public feedback on the design until June 30.

As Brandon residents can see, the downtown is failing. It lacks identity, storefronts are closed, and many people feel unsafe walking through the area. Credit must be given to the businesses that are still operating in this somewhat undesirable area — they are the ones keeping the downtown spirit alive.

But ultimately, it’s up to the city to ensure that spirit thrives by making the downtown community an appealing place to set up shop and patronize. Creating a multi-purpose space like an arts building could be the answer.

But let’s be honest; libraries are historically a dull place to be — bulky wooden furniture, stuffy atmosphere, questionable carpet, little natural light. Libraries weren’t typically a place you wanted to be unless you were cramming for a test. However, today they offer much more; you don’t need to be a book worm to have a reason to visit your local library. This month alone, our library is running a coding club, story time, a comic design class and a creative writing program. There is seemingly something for everyone.

Urban centres across Canada are realizing this, too. Library buildings themselves have become pieces of art, using creative architectural designs that are both beautiful and intentional to draw attention to the space and enhance users’ experiences.

In his book “Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life,” American sociologist Eric Klinenberg outlines how libraries act as important building blocks in communities, which he also discusses in an interview on the “99% Invisible” podcast.

“When we live in places where we invest in social infrastructure, places like libraries or parks, schools, athletic fields, we reap all kinds of benefits, we become far more likely to interact with people around us, whether they are friends and family or neighbours who we haven’t gotten to know,” he said in the interview. “When we don’t invest in social infrastructure, if we neglect it, if we let it fall apart, we tend to grow more isolated.”

After two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all too familiar with isolation. If the city spends a few extra dollars to turn the library into the focal point of downtown Brandon, it will no doubt have a positive ripple effect on the rest of the community in terms of social, economic and educational well-being, as long as the city is up to the challenge.