Board allowing 5 Annapolis Valley libraries to stay open until September

Five Annapolis Valley, N.S., libraries that were slated to close this month have been granted a two-month reprieve.

Five Annapolis Valley, N.S., libraries that were slated to close this month have been granted a two-month reprieve. At a special meeting on Monday evening, the Annapolis Valley Regional Library Board voted to use more than half of its reserve funds to keep the Lawrencetown, Middleton, Kentville, Port Williams and Hantsport branches open until Sept. 30. The board is also requesting funding from its municipal partners to extend service past September.

Download the CTV News App for breaking news alerts and video on all the top stories “We will work as quickly as possible to organize staffing and sort out other logistical issues,” the board said in a news release. “Please note that there may be service disruptions as we work through this process.” The libraries were originally set to shut down on July 20 due to a “significant funding shortfall.”

The move was expected to eliminate nine full-time equivalent positions. The board runs 11 libraries in the Annapolis Valley. Nova Scotia’s Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage previously told CTV News Atlantic it spends more than $16 million annually to support libraries.

In an open letter , the Council of Regional Librarians said the province’s regional libraries are facing an estimated funding gap of $12.78 million. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page