Yesterday (14 February) Newmarket Council held a workshop to consider the Library’s new Strategic Plan. 

There was a presentation from the Library’s new Chief Executive, Tracy Munusami, but, unfortunately, no Strategic Plan. We learn that comes along later. The CEO says it is still in draft form.

Hmmmm. I think it's overdue.

There is a lot of talk of initiating and igniting things. And challenging, inspiring and leading. This is the standard – and very clichéd - lexicon from the folks who are reinventing libraries. Making them more relevant to a diverse community etc etc. Sweeping books off the shelves to make way for the preposterous “Lendery” where people can borrow pots and pans.

The Mayor, John Taylor, overcome by the slide-show’s messaging, hails the “renewed vision” and the “renewed energy”. I laugh as I hear this.

Whatever happened to the new Library?

Deputy Mayor Tom Vegh thanks everyone for all their hard work and for the presentation but says he has one question, which, as it happens, is rather important.

“I was on the library board previously and I was involved in two different strategic plans and in both those strategic plans a new facility was highlighted, like right at the top of the list. And I notice that your strategic plan doesn't include that. Maybe you can explain why. Or perhaps that's just the new way that you vision the library - that the existing building that you have is adequate. I just noticed that and it stood out to me by its absence.”

The Mayor chortles and says he doesn’t remember this promise of a new library.

Library Board member Victor Woodhouse, a former financial analyst, laughs out loud and tells the Mayor to mild amusement that, later on, he is going to ask Council to approve $25M for a new library. 

Someone refers to Councillor Woodhouse as Councillor Woodhorse which I think I prefer. 

Let's get the basics right

A Board Member, Darryl Gray, gabbling at a million words a minute, tells us the Board had:

“conversations about this need, this historic need, for a new library or the perception of the historic need for new library. 

 And one of the things we agreed as a board we wanted to do was make sure… the services that we delivered to the community (were) right, before we even went down that road.”

So there you have it. The Board doesn’t want to talk about a new library until they get the basics right. 

Regional Councillor Tom Vegh fought the last election promising a new library. He told the voters:

“The debate over the need for a new public library is long over. The only question now is where and when.”

Why Doesn’t Tom Vegh Stand Up for Himself?  

Vegh seems blindsided by the presentation and the fact that the promise of a new library is nothing more than a laughing matter. 

Tom Vegh is a full-time elected member, paid accordingly. Why didn’t he wander into the library and ask for a meeting with the new Chief Executive? Why didn’t he ask what was happening? Wasn’t he curious? That’s what the library wants to encourage – curiosity.

And why didn’t he stand up for himself when the Mayor and Councillor Workhorse were laughing at him? 

Vegh could have called in aid the previous Library Chief Executive, Todd Kyle, who, over his ten years at the helm, became increasingly outspoken, telling councillors that, on all the key metrics, Newmarket Library was way behind its comparators. 

We need new benchmarks that put Newmarket at the top!

Now the Mayor is wondering aloud about the uselfulness of these old-fashioned, fuddy-duddy benchmarks when so much in the library world is changing. There’s YouTube and lots of other digital sources of information. Books can be delivered to residents by drone! (I made that one up.)

Now Ward 5 councillor Bob Kwapis is telling us the library is a vital hub in his downtown patch. It shouldn’t be going anywhere!

Ward 7 councillor Christina Bisanz isn’t so sure. She says there are lots of people in the new sub-divisions who probably have no idea the Town has a library.

Someone mentions a mobile library.

That’s the way forward! Who would have thought of that?

Newmarket Public Library is going back to the future!

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Update on 23 February 2022: From Newmarket Today: Newmarket Deputy Mayor says new library is needed, but Town not pursuing

The cast of characters:

And what Tom said in October 2018 when running for election as Deputy Mayor and Regional Councillor: