Sherman Nunes of Liverpool watches on Saturday as his kids Luke and Lisa play in the new children’s area of the Thomas H. Raddall Library. (Rick Conrad)

The Thomas H.  Raddall Library officially opened its doors on Saturday, as about 70 people helped usher in a new chapter for the Liverpool branch.

The library has been open for about six weeks in its new interim home at 54 Harley Umphrey Dr. People were impressed with the new digs, with some hoping the library stays where it is, with others wishing for a permanent location closer to downtown.

The event on Saturday featured local and provincial politicians, as well as many library staff.

The Region of Queens budgeted up to $1.26 million on renovations to the space in the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off White Point Road. The library had to leave the Rossignol Cultural Centre in downtown Liverpool by Dec. 31 because the building’s owner Sherman Hines was selling the building.

Tom Raddall and his family have allowed South Shore Public Libraries to continue to use the famed Nova Scotia author’s name on the Liverpool branch for another five years. 

Raddall said he’s happy the library is in a better, newer space.

“Hopefully, it’s a step in the right direction,” he told QCCR. “Certainly it’s in a far better space than it was before. The location has been a controversial one over the years. But this library needed to be in a newer spot and this will suit the purpose until another one is built in the appropriate location.”

Many residents were concerned that the new location isn’t easy to walk to, with no sidewalks and limited lighting. 

Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian said that he’s excited about the new space, with its expanded program rooms, commercial kitchen and children’s section.

“The plans are to make this space as great as we can make it. And we need to, as a community and as a council, figure out what makes sense in terms of either bringing a future library closer to town or bringing town closer to this library

Christian said it’s too early to say what the future holds for a more permanent location. But he said the region has to work out its priorities for the next few years, and address whether Liverpool needs a new, multipurpose community centre which could include meeting space, a gymnasium and the library.

“I think the focus right now, both for the folks at South Shore (Public) Libraries and also for the Region of Queens staff and the work that they’ve done to make the built environment really work, is to figure out how, for now, to make this the best space that we can make it.

“And the space is great in there, so it’s what do we need to do with the surrounding environment to remove barriers, … make sure that users who want to be accessing the space are provided that opportunity.”

Queens MLA Kim Masland said she would support a request for provincial funding for a new space for the library. But she said Saturday that she was impressed with its interim location.

“I think today we see as many people that are here, lots of smiling faces, lots of people really excited about this. This is also an interim facility here for now and so hopefully we’ll see a new library built in town, that would certainly be my wish someday. But we’re here for now and this is certainly a great interim facility.”

Lin Ireland of Liverpool was one of the many local library lovers taking it all in on Saturday.

“I think this is great,” she said. “It’s going to be used. And people complain about the location but I don’t think it’s all that far out. … I’m happy with it right where it is. A lot of money went into building this and why not leave it here?”

Susan McGibbon of Liverpool said her gardening club had their first meeting in the new branch a couple of weeks ago, and turnout was double their usual attendance. While she likes the new larger, brighter space, she hopes the region can build a new space in a more central location. 

“I don’t think there was another option, and I think they’ve done a good job making it a good option,” McGibbon said.

“Do I think we need another location that’s part of a community hub? Yes, absolutely. And I think a new library committee getting struck is going to happen very soon, so that work can get going.”

Sherman Nunes of Liverpool was at the library on Saturday with his four-year-old Lisa and his two-year-old Luke, as they played in the new children’s area.

“It’s beautiful, it’s spacious, it has a lot of light. I’ve been to the previous library. This is a step up. It’s very nice. 

“We like to take the kids out, and previously we did not have an indoor space around here in Liverpool, where we could take them out for a day or something, so we had to drive up to Bridgewater. But I think with this new addition, it would be nice to get them over here every weekend, especially so that they can run around, read some books, play with the toys. As you can see, they’re already occupied.”

The Thomas H. Raddall Library is open six days a week and closed on Mondays. Queens County Transit offers free rides to and from the library. That service runs every Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. from the market shelter beside Hell Bay Brewing.

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Susie and Joan Stephenson of Port Joli visit the Bookmobile recently at its stop in Port Mouton. (Rick Conrad)

It’s the last one in Nova Scotia. And it’s still motoring along the South Shore.

Each week, the Bookmobile brings books, DVDs and other materials to about 15 communities in Lunenburg and Queens counties, from Chester to Caledonia.

A mobile library has been operating on the South Shore since the 1970s.

Other library systems around Nova Scotia have stopped the service. The Cape Breton Regional Library had the only other one and it retired its Bookmobile in November 2024.

So now, the South Shore has the only remaining Bookmobile in the province. And it shows no signs of slowing down.

Ashley Nunn-Smith is the CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries.

“Our Bookmobile has been on the road for 50 years. But it’s much beloved, it’s very much a fabric of the community. For example, a few weeks ago, we had someone bring the books out to Caledonia in their van because the Bookmobile was having some mechanical issues and not only did people come out to pick up their items, but they had almost like a tailgate party. They just hung around the back of the van and chatted with their neighbours. There was nothing keeping them there other than that sense of community.

“It’s not just about the books, although that’s wonderful to drive books out to people. It’s really about a sense of community.”

Joan Stephenson of Port Joli was at a recent Bookmobile stop at Coastal Queens Place in Port Mouton. Stephenson and her daughter Susie are some of the regular patrons the Bookmobile serves every three weeks at this location. It visits certain communities on a weekly basis, while others are on a tri-weekly schedule.

“We remember when we had to fight to get a Bookmobile because the county didn’t want it,” Stephenson says. “And instead they put streetlights on our road and fought the Bookmobile, and we said it’s a different kind of enlightenment.”

In 2021, the library put a new custom-built Bookmobile on the road at a cost of about $500,000, with an accessibility lift, Wi-fi and seven electrical outlets where people can charge their devices.

Last year, the mobile service had an average of 1,100 monthly visitors who checked out 3,000 items, accounting for about 15 per cent of the library’s overall visits and circulation. Fuel and maintenance take up about two per cent of the library’s total $1.9-million operating budget.

Nunn-Smith says that because the South Shore has fewer physical library locations than other library systems around Nova Scotia, having the Bookmobile is essential.

“I think that by having the library on wheels we can bring it to more spaces than we would be able to reach with brick and mortar locations. We’re able to reach more communities that we wouldn’t be able to otherwise. We reach Port Mouton and Mill Village. Those places, it wouldn’t be feasible to operate a library branch, and so we’re able to bring the library to them.”

Susie Stephenson says she remembers the anticipation as a kid waiting for the Bookmobile to visit, a feeling she still has years later.

“When we lived in Broad River, we all went and we’d come home with clothes baskets full of books. The eight of us would just sit around and read. And you’d do it until you had to eat.

“It makes it accessible and it keeps me in reading material. And it keeps me interested and not depressed. I can sit and read a book and look at it. … I’ll take two or three bags lots of times.”

Her mother Joan says it’s something she looks forward to every three weeks.

“I can’t be away too long. My husband’s disabled. So it’s fun to come here. And the wonderful thing is the people who drive and work on the Bookmobile over all these years we’ve had it have always become our friends. They know what you’re looking for and we laugh. They want to know how your trip was or how your surgery was. They become friends.

“We love it. We love the Bookmobile. I’m an old lady and hopefully it will outlive me.”

The Bookmobile visits Caledonia every Saturday from 10 a.m to noon in the NSLC parking lot. It will be back in Mill Village at the fire hall on April 4 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. and in Port Mouton at Coastal Queens Place on April 4 from 2 to 3:30 p.m.

You can find the schedule for the Bookmobile on the South Shore Public Libraries website.

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Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO of South Shore Public Libraries, stands in front of the Book Sanctuary display at the Margaret Hennigar Public Library in Bridgewater. (Rick Conrad)

You may not agree with the content of certain books, but the staff at South Shore Public Libraries will fight for your right to read them.

That’s why they’ve created the South Shore’s first Book Sanctuary at their main branch in Bridgewater to mark Freedom to Read Week, which kicked off Sunday.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, says it’s a permanent collection designed to highlight and protect books at risk.

“It is 50 titles that have been either banned or challenged in libraries and schools across North America,” she told QCCR.

“This is is a permanent home for these titles. They’re presently on display for about three weeks, and then after that folks can borrow them and bring them home and read and think about the reason why someone might want you not to read that book. So we’re declaring ourselves a book sanctuary, a safe haven for books that somebody doesn’t want you to read.”

Christina Pottie, communication and engagement lead for South Shore Public Libraries, organized it in about three weeks. She and Nunn-Smith attended a recent library conference in Ontario, which highlighted the book sanctuary created by the Toronto Public Library in 2023. SSPL is using the same list used by Toronto.

The idea began at the Chicago Public Library in 2022. Almost 4,800 book sanctuaries now exist across the U.S., according to booksanctuary.org.

Nunn-Smith says attempts to ban books are on the rise in North America. 

“We wanted to be proactive by establishing this collection now and saying that we will protect these items. We’ll protect intellectual freedom through all of our services and collections, but this is a visual and symbolic representation of that value.”

The book sanctuary includes typically banned books like 1984 or The Handmaid’s Tale, but also children’s books like Junie B. Jones and the Stupid Smelly Bus. 

“Junie B. Jones and The Stupid Smelly Bus is a title for readers around age seven. This one was was challenged in Toronto. And so the reasoning was that Junie would be a bad role model for young folks and encourage them to be rude to adults and encourage bad spelling. ”

The collection also includes the Bible, queer fiction and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s controversial best-seller, The Real Anthony Fauci.

“It’s one point of view on public health and pharmaceuticals. Whether or not you believe this point of view, it’s still worthwhile to be able to read it, debate it, discuss it. Read different points of view form your own. That’s vital in a democratic society. I might personally disagree with some of the points of view in this collection but that doesn’t mean we have a right to remove them from the shelf.”

The collection of 50 adult, teen and children’s books is on display at the Margaret Hennigar Public Library in Bridgewater for three weeks. 

Beginning March 10, people will be able to sign out specific items in the collection, either in person or on the library’s website using the keywords SSPL Book Sanctuary.

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The Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool will reopen on Saturday. (Rick Conrad)

UPDATED Feb. 21, 2:17 p.m.

The Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool is finally ready to welcome patrons to its new location.

It will reopen for full service on Saturday (Feb. 22) at 10 a.m. The library will be open six days a week and closed on Mondays.

The interim location at 54 Harley Umphrey Dr. is in the call centre building off White Point Road.

The branch has been closed since Dec. 15, when staff packed up the library’s collection to prepare for the move from downtown Liverpool.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, the CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, told QCCR that she can’t wait for people to see the space.

“Very exciting. I know it’s been a long wait, longer than we had hoped but we are ready and we are ready to open,” Nunn-Smith said.

“People will be genuinely happy to see inside. There’s a lot of cozy chairs and nooks for reading. But really, the space is so much more than just the books. You can come in and warm up from the cold, you can chat with the staff, you can attend programs, so we’re really excited to be able to offer all of the services again.”

The lease at the former location on Old Bridge Street was due to expire at the end of December. So the Region of Queens decided to put the library, on an interim basis, in the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off White Point Road.

The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for renovations to the space.

Many residents were concerned that it’s not easy to walk to, with no sidewalks and limited lighting.

Queens County Transit and the South Shore Public Libraries have teamed up to offer free transportation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday from the farmers market location on the Liverpool waterfront to Harley Umphrey Drive.

The Raddall family has agreed to allow the library to continue to use the Raddall name for five years because they’ve been assured by the region that the municipality is working on finding a permanent, central location for a new, purpose-built library.

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A few final touches and the Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool will be ready to open at its new interim location. (Rick Conrad)

UPDATED THURSDAY, 9:55 A.M.

The library in Liverpool is close to reopening, but a few things have to be ironed out first.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, told QCCR on Wednesday that a final fire inspection has to be done, and internet issues have to be addressed. 

“The construction work itself is finished. Books are on the shelves. We are waiting on a few very key things. … Once those are resolved, any day now I hope to be able to open.”

The Thomas H. Raddall branch has been closed since Dec. 15, when staff packed up the library’s collection to prepare for the move from downtown Liverpool to a building about 1.5 kilometres away. 

The lease at the former location was due to expire at the end of December. So the Region of Queens decided to put the library, on an interim basis, in the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off White Point Road.

The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for renovations to the space. 

Many residents were concerned that it’s not easy to walk to, with no sidewalks and limited lighting.

Queens County Transit and the South Shore Public Libraries have teamed up to offer free transportation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday from downtown Liverpool to the new location.

“If it’s really successful, I’m sure we can talk about expanding it,” Nunn-Smith said. “We could potentially look at adding other times or other days of the week.”

Nunn-Smith says she empathizes with library patrons who can’t wait for the branch to reopen.

“I know everyone’s really excited to get inside and to have a library in their own community again. We had hoped to be open by now. … We’re really excited to welcome the patrons back in too.”

Nunn-Smith said the new location will keep the Thomas H. Raddall name, after Raddall’s family were assured that regional council is committed to finding a more central, permanent location. 

The municipality’s library steering committee had recommended that a new library be built near Queens Place Emera Centre, close to downtown Liverpool. Raddall’s grandson Tom was the honorary chairman of that committee, but resigned after councillors twice rejected the committee’s recommendations.

Councillors decided last February to move the library to the new interim location instead. 

“With the new council, I feel the attitude has changed,” Nunn-Smith says.

“I’ve met with the mayor and Coun. (Courtney) Wentzell who is on the library board. And they too agree that a true community hub should be at the centre of the community where the people are. And so with that in mind and all of us being aligned, the library board, the Raddall family and the council on the direction of the library, it seems like a positive turn.

“So because of that, Tom Raddall … has agreed to retain the Thomas H. Raddall Library name for another five years.”

Nunn-Smith said she believes “the best case scenario” would be five to seven years before a brand new library could be built.

Despite the delays in reopening in the interim location, she says she believes patrons will enjoy the new space.

It’s bigger and brighter, with a large expandable program room as well as a community kitchen. It’s also fully accessible. 

And it will feature raised garden beds outside, thanks to funding from the Nova Scotia government.

“I love the inside of the space. It’s wonderful. And even the green space directly outside of the library is going to be great too.

“The programming spaces are outstanding. I would love to have such programming spaces in our other locations. … It’s going to be our first branch with a community kitchen, so we can run cooking programs and other types of baking and cooking demonstrations. It’s just going to be wonderful.”

Nunn-Smith said she hopes the Thomas H. Raddall Library is back in business in a few days. 

But regardless, a grand reopening is planned for Sat., April 5.

“So a ribbon cutting and story times and music and some cake, that type of big celebration day, so that everyone who hasn’t checked it out yet can come and celebrate the new space with us.”

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Some of the new furniture at the new location of the Liverpool library. (Region of Queens photo)

The library in Liverpool is getting closer to reopening in its new temporary location.

The Region of Queens has been posting updates on its website as work has progressed at the Liverpool Business Development Centre on Harley Umphrey Drive, off White Point Road.

South Shore Public Libraries has not given a specific date for the branch to reopen. But the region says on its site that it’s likely to reopen by mid-January.

There’s still a lot of work to do. Workers are putting final touches on HVAC ductwork, sprinklers, electricity to the front desk, lighting, plumbing and the new kitchen.

Shelving units and some other furniture have been moved into the 6,500-square-foot space.

The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for the renovations to the empty space at the call centre building. The community was consulted on the design of the space.

But many were upset that regional council decided to put the library outside downtown in an area with no sidewalks and limited lighting.

A library steering committee had recommended a new library be built near Queens Place Emera Centre. But that was rejected twice by councillors. 

The location on Harley Umphrey Drive is supposed to be a short-term home while council works on a longer-term solution.

Library officials got about 200 responses to a survey in the fall asking for suggestions on a possible new name for the new location. They haven’t revealed if the library’s name will change from the Thomas H. Raddall Library. That decision rests with the board of South Shore Public Libraries.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

Library users in Liverpool are being encouraged to check out as many books and movies as they can carry before the Thomas H. Raddall location closes Dec. 15 to prepare for a move to its new location. (Rick Conrad)

Staff at the Thomas H. Raddall Library in downtown Liverpool are getting ready to move to their new location and they’re asking users to help lighten their load.

The library is encouraging people to take out as many books and movies as they like until the branch closes on Dec. 15.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, says patrons also have an extra-long loan period to enjoy the extra books.

“All items that have been checked out this week until we close won’t be due back until Feb. 1, so folks are encouraged just to hold on to those,” Nunn-Smith says.

“We have canvas bags to hand out. And we’re encouraging people to check out as many books and movies as they can carry to their vehicle to help us lighten the load so that there are less items on the shelves to pack into boxes.”

The library’s lease at its current location at the Rossignol Cultural Centre in Liverpool expires at the end of December.

In Nova Scotia, municipalities look after buildings and furniture for libraries, while the provincial government provides about 70 per cent of overall funding for staffing and other expenses.

Region of Queens councillors voted in February to move the library to the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off the White Point Road, two kilometres outside the downtown.

It’s supposed to be a temporary location, but users fear the library will stay there. The region is spending between $1.1 and $1.26 million on renovations to the 6,500-square-foot space.

Nunn-Smith says she’s looking forward to the library’s newer, bigger home and the opportunities it will create for programs and the community.

“Our current space in Liverpool has two program rooms and they’re often both in use. And this space will have two program rooms with a wall that can be removed between the two for those larger programs that get big attendance, as well as a kitchen and a teen space and a soundproof meeting pod. So we’ll be able to offer more spaces, a mix of quiet spaces, and fun kid-friendly spaces, (where) the current location is limited.”

She said it will be the first library branch on the South Shore with a dedicated space for teens. 

Nunn-Smith said it was important for the library to involve the community as much as possible in the move.

That’s why they asked the public for input on a new name, if they decide to change it from the Thomas H. Raddall Library.

They got about 200 responses. People could choose from a suggested list or write in their own choice.

Nunn-Smith said they got a lot of good suggestions – and only one Booky McBookface. 

“I had warned the board when you let the internet name something, you might end up with a Boaty McBoatface. With that caveat, we did want to get that feedback from the public.”

The naming decision ultimately rests with the library board. So, no Booky McBookface branch in Liverpool.

“I can’t see that one moving forward,” Nunn-Smith says, laughing.

Nunn-Smith says that after the Liverpool branch closes on Dec. 15, staff will begin boxing up the remaining collections for transport to the new location. 

“We have a lot of staff coming in that first week after we close. I’m confident we’ll be able to get that (packing) done, and hopefully said and done before the holidays so the staff can relax and not have that worry hanging over them.”

An opening date hasn’t been set yet, but Nunn-Smith said the library will let people know as soon as they are ready to reopen.

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Photo Ed Halverson

A new program launched by South Shore public libraries will help residents in remote areas connect to high-speed Internet.

The library has partnered with @NS Community Technology to provide mobile Wi-Fi hotspots on the Bell Mobility cellular network.

The devices can be signed out for a period of four weeks and provide unlimited data.

Acting Chief Librarian Jeff Mercer says this is one more way the library is there to serve the needs of the community.

“Well, we’re not unique in Nova Scotia where a lot of our area are places where people just don’t have reliable Internet if they have Internet at all,” said Mercer. “We heard that and in advance of any sort of infrastructure being built we said OK this is a way we can help people out, at least in the short term, and we can make it free through the library.”

The library has 12 WiFi hotspots to loan out.

Mercer says the demand for the hotspots is already quite high.

“It’s pretty popular, so if you had a request today, I don’t think you’d get it definitely in a month but hopefully not too much longer than that,” said Mercer.

Anyone wishing to sign out a hot spot must have a South Shore Public Libraries card and be over 18 years of age.

Mercer says most of the units are held at the main branch in Bridgewater however a request can be placed at any branch, including the mobile library, and they ‘ll be moved to that location for pick up.

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Authors Francesca Ekwuyasi, Ronan O’Driscoll and Morgan Murray take questions at Lunenburg Lit. Photo contributed by South Shore Public Libraries

An annual celebration of authors is returning to the South Shore.

The Lunenburg Literary Festival, or Lunenburg Lit as it has come to be known, is preparing to welcome some of the country’s top authors in their genres to Lunenburg for the seventh year in a row.

South Shore Public Libraries CEO Ashley Nunn-Smith says bringing these authors into smaller venues allows attendees to get up close and personal.

“I think the beauty of Lunenburg Lit Fest it’s quite an intimate setting. You are going to get a chance to walk up and say hello to the author, ask them to sign your book. They’re going to have a chance to have some pretty informal chit-chat. They’ll also be able to ask some questions from the audience,” said Nunn-Smith.

Lunenburg Lit was fortunate to be one of the events that continued throughout the pandemic by following protocols and cutting the number of attendees in half.

The library’s Communication and Engagement Coordinator Christina Pottie says the events held over those two years were special for the audience but especially so for the authors.

“Many of the authors, this was their only public speaking event in two years,” said Pottie. “They were just so thrilled to have that live audience and have that audience participation and just the feel that you get when you read in front of people instead of reading from a screen.”

Lunenburg Lit is back to full capacity for all events this year and is offering a full schedule over the weekend of September 22 – 24.

Author Lyndsey Ruck gives copies of her books to Bluenose Academy students Charlie Francis and Vivian Halverson at 2021 Lunenburg Lit. Photo Courtesy South Shore Public Libraries

The festival kicks off Thursday the 22 with two free events: poet and novelist Gloria Ann Wesley leads a youth event at the Heritage Bandstand to discuss her novels, Chasing Freedom and If This Is Freedom.

That’s followed by a panel at St. John’s parish hall on Thursday evening, where writers and publishers answer audience questions about first steps in literary publishing.

Friday, the Lunenburg School of the Arts will host readings from novelist and short-story writer David Bergen, poet and journalist El Jones, and multiple-genre writer Heather O’Neill.

The festival offers a full slate of events Saturday with a Literary Walking Tour of Lunenburg at midday, journalist and University of Kings instructor Trina Roache will interview writer and politician Charlie Angus in the afternoon and the festival wraps up that evening with novelist and screenplay writer Shyam Selvadurai, Newfoundland author Megan Gail Coles, and Halifax novelist Jane Doucet.

Tickets are available at all South Shore Public Libraries in person or by phone and information is available on their website.

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Pride Cake. Photo Ed Halverson

Towns along the South Shore are taking part in the region’s first ever pride week.

For the past several years most local municipalities have flown the pride flag in a show of solidarity with the 2SLGBTQ+ community.

This year, Lunenburg Pride is working to increase their exposure by expanding the annual flag raising to a week of activities including a dog show, seniors lesbian social, trivia night and pub night, ending with a drag show and dance on Saturday.

Chair of Lunenburg Pride Steve Ellis says there’s a large 2SLGBTQ+ community on the South Shore and they wanted to tailor events to suit local needs.

“Not everyone wants to go all the way to Halifax to have events and they’d rather be supporting their own community,” said Ellis. “So, we decided this year that we wanted to have a week’s worth of events that will include all demographics and something on a smaller scale that represents our community better than the city.”

One event that has generated some controversy is Drag Queen story time being hosted by the Margaret Hennigar Library in Bridgewater.

Following several inappropriate comments South Shore Public Libraries closed commenting on the event on Facebook.

Ellis says there’s no reason to fear a man reading to children while wearing a dress.

“If you think about it on a very basic level, it’s no different than hiring a clown for your kid’s birthday party. That’s a man dressed up in drag. If we take away the seriousness about it, because it’s serious that we get hate about it,” said Ellis. “But at the end of the day, there’s plenty of things that kids go to where people are dressed up so this is no different.”

Pride Flag. Photo Ed Halverson

Each year the Region of Queens flies the pride flag to coincide with Halifax pride events in July.

Ellis says the Lunenburg Pride group would like to see the week expand next year and says Queens would be natural fit.

“We’re definitely open to working with Queens. I know that we have people who work with the municipality who work on various inclusion projects that have contacted us and we’ve worked on things together in the past. So yeah, we definitely would be willing to work with them to make an even bigger organization.”

Ellis says hosting a week of events to increase their visibility is important to members of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, particularly in rural areas of Nova Scotia.

“It means a lot to me and I know others who have approached us, telling us what it means to them, to have events to go to. And if they’re not comfortable going to the events they can drive all across the South Shore and they’re going to see a pride flag waving and they know that they’re in a safe space. And that means more than all the events together and the events allow us to do more meaningful work.”

For more information about South Shore Pride week events head to Lunenburg Pride Facebook page.

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Photo Ed Halverson

A plan to build a new library in Queens has become a political football.

During budget discussion in March, council decided to spend $3 million on replacing the aging Thomas H Raddall library in Liverpool.

A six-member steering committee consisting of two people from South Shore Public Libraries, two members of the library board and two library users were tasked with devising criteria and determining the best location for a new library in South Queens.

They were looking for a centrally located site with access to sidewalks that offered space to build a 6,000 square foot library and 24 parking spaces, easy emergency access, good exterior lighting, outdoor space, and no known flooding.

Of the eight possible locations, the board was unanimous in selecting Queens Place.

The recommendation was brought before Region of Queens council at the June 14 meeting and was rejected in a 5-3 vote.

Some councillors raised concerns moving the library away from the schools and some private daycare operators would deter students from using the services.

Others wanted to see the new library build tied to the construction of a new privately funded pool.

With seven options remaining, council agreed to meet July 5 to discuss the criteria and provide clearer direction to the steering committee about what locations they would be willing to accept.

After eliminating the steering committee’s unanimous first choice Mayor Darlene Norman says council wrestled with how to word their direction to the committee.

“It ended with a recommendation that the library steering committee choose the second-best site,” said Norman.

The meeting was lively as some councillors argued residents of the old town of Liverpool would not make their way across the bridge to a library at Queens Place.

Others pointed out the new Queens Manor long-term care home will be situated next door to Queens Place allowing residents greater access to library services.

Depending on which of the remaining sites make the short list, Norman says a recommendation from the steering committee on a location may not come back to council before September.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
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Region of Queens Administration Building. Photo Ed Halverson

Tax decreases across Queens highlight this year’s budget.

At the most recent Region of Queens Council meeting a budget was tabled containing a three cent per $100 assessment drop for residential and commercial property owners in Queens.

Properties in Liverpool will now pay $1.93 per $100 residential and $3.03 per $100 commercial rates.

Outside Liverpool the amounts range from $1.07 residential to $2.17 commercial unless the property is in Brooklyn.

Property owners there add six cents to cover a four and a half cent area rate for the recreation centre and one and a half cents for the cemetery.

Mayor Darlene Norman says following an increase in assessments council wanted to provide some relief to property owners.

“Assessments went up somewhat and the council and staff that there’s a lot of things that happened last year and they weren’t going to happen again but yet there’s room for new things and with the increase we were able to put forward a progressive budget,” said Norman.

An area that saw a dramatic increase was water bills.

Council had already approved a base rate increase of 19 percent and 33 percent for consumption over the next three years.

Norman says the first water rate increase in 18 years will bring the municipality in line with what comparable regions across the province are charging.

“The water people who did our study for the UARB (Nova Scotia Utility and Revue Board), said good municipalities have, every year or every so many years, just a little slight increase so you don’t get something like this happening,” said Norman.

The Queens Community Aquatic Society made a presentation to council regarding the construction of a new outdoor pool.

Norman says council will take time to review those materials before deciding how or if they will move ahead with the proposal.

Later in the agenda council voted to repeal the Region’s vaccine mandate policy to align with the recently lifted provincial COVID restrictions.

They also discussed the composition of the steering team who will lead the development of the new library.

The six-member group will include two people from South Shore Public Libraries, two members of the library board and two library users.

A request from the Queens County Historical Society to repaint two prominent murals located on buildings in Liverpool will come back for discussion at the next council meeting.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
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South Shore Public Libraries new Bookmobile. Photo Ed Halverson

South Shore Public Libraries has replaced their aging mobile library with a state of the art, purpose-built bookmobile.

Driver and library clerk Dave Smith says the new vehicle comes with a new name as a nod to the way the service is already perceived in the community.

“You know, I’ve been with the library for many years, I always associate it, it’s the bookmobile and when you go into communities people always say, oh the bookmobile is there, which is great. Nice to have it back,” said Smith.

The library’s new bookmobile has the wide variety of books and videos patrons have come to expect as well as several new advantages over the previous version.

The old mobile library was, essentially, a repurposed school bus. The aisle was narrow, climate controls were basically non-existent and it was difficult for anyone with mobility issues to gain access.

The new bookmobile features a wide aisle and brightly lit shelves. It is fully air-conditioned and heated and has an accessible lift at the end to allow people with mobility issues to come on and freely access any part of the vehicle.

Bookmobile staff Dave Smith and Crystal Madill. Photo Ed Halverson

Crystal Madill has worked with South Shore Public Libraries for almost 40 years, the past 12 years in the mobile library.

She says the new bus creates a social environment where people can come in, sit on one of the two opposing benches and browse the collection while interacting with their neighbours.

“You can sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. This is also very much a community spot,” said Madill. “So they sit on the benches and have a little chat and a visit with each other and gossip.”

A couple of bookmobile patrons enjoy a chat on the new benches. Photo Ed Halverson

That community hub mentality extends outside the bookmobile as well.

A large antenna allows people to connect wirelessly to high speed internet, something that is sorely lacking in many of the communities the bookmobile visits.

The new bookmobile further integrates itself into the community by providing an awning for shade, and a white board and speakers that allow the vehicle to show movies.

External outlets powered either by an inverter or generator provide people a place to plug in their laptops or even charge their electronics in the event of an emergency.

Smith and Madill say patrons have been giving the new bookmobile rave reviews since it launched in late July.

A schedule for stops in Queens county can be found by visiting South Shore Public Libraries website.

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Photo Ed Halverson

The first steps have been taken to strengthen the relationship between South Shore Public Libraries and the region’s BIPOC community.

Chief Librarian Troy Myers describes Friday’s meeting with the anti-racism task force from the town of Bridgewater as a starting point.

“Our role was to listen, to learn. We started a relationship that we know is going to take some time,” said Myers. “We still accept full responsibility.”

Tensions arose between SSPL and supporters of the Black, Indigenous and People of Colour community last week when the library attempted to provoke discussion around “Freedom to Read” week.

Their choice to use the recent controversy around the publisher’s decision to stop printing some Dr. Suess titles because they contained racist language and imagery provoked a strong reaction online.

Members of the Bridgewater anti-racism task force didn’t want to be recorded for this story. The representative said they, in no way, wish to portray that they speak for the entire BIPOC community.

They did say that the library board listened to their position during the meeting but there is still a long way to go before real change in the institutional racism can be fully addressed.

Myers appreciates the task force member’s willingness to engage with the library and provide their perspective. He reiterated just how sorry he was to have upset members of the community.

“We want our spaces to be safe and secure for everybody and it’s our fault that some people are feeling they’re not. We’re not asking for people to accept this apology. We want people to watch our actions moving forward,” said Myers.

Actions before words

Hours before the meeting, South Shore BIPOC, a collective of BIPOC people on the South Shore of Nova Scotia organizing advocacy, events, and community supports for BIPOC posted a 17 page letter to Facebook outlining several concerns, among which are how the controversy has been handled, the deletion of posts and how Myers could confuse their group with the Bridgewater anti-racism task force.

The letter included several suggestions as to how SSPL could begin to address institutional racism including: providing dedicated funding for resources by and for BIPOC communities, creating an independent advisory council to decide next steps, a review of senior library staff and equity hiring practices, anti-racism training and education for staff, and a commitment to a timely review of children’s and young adult books to ensure racist and discriminatory materials are removed.

The letter was addressed to SSPL board of directors and senior staff, the director of Nova Scotia Public Libraries, Vanessa Fells with the African Nova Scotia decade for people of African descent coalition and the minister of communities cultures and heritage Suzanne Lohnes-Croft.

Spokesperson for South Shore BIPOC Jessika Hepburn says they highlighted several resources the library can engage to begin reparations. Until they see action being taken they will not accept Myers’ offer to meet.

“No work has been done to guarantee any kind of safety,” said Hepburn. “I could go to that meeting, it’s going to be upsetting and traumatic for me but there is no way that any of the people in our community are going to be willing to sit down with a library or any sort of institution that is so clearly not capable of having this conversation.”

Hepburn says the library didn’t acknowledge the group’s concerns on the original posts and have done nothing to engage with South Shore BIPOC since.

She says she has yet to see any outreach by the library, including inviting the Bridgewater anti-racism task force to a meeting.

“A municipal task force that they have a fiduciary responsibility to, because they receive financial contributions every year from the town of Bridgewater, that’s not outreach,” said Hepburn. “That’s responding to a letter that you received. They had a responsibility to respond, that’s PR.”

Myers says the library and the anti-racism committee will meet again in the coming weeks. He hopes the continued dialogue will help lead to changes to make everyone feel safe and included at South Shore public libraries.

“We ask for people’s patience and understanding,” said Myers. “These things take time. We’re not going to fix it tonight or tomorrow; it’s going to take some time. It’s a long journey and I’m making that pledge to leave this library in a better position than I found it 11 years ago and I’m committed to that.”

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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Thomas H. Raddall Library. Photo credit Ed Halverson

A social media post meant to provoke discussion around controversial topics has landed South Shore Public Libraries officials in hot water.

Members of the South Shore Black, Indigenous and People of Colour group are taking the library to task after they published an article on Wednesday by National Post writer John Robson.

The post offers the writer’s stance against the decision by the estate and publisher of Dr. Seuss to cease publishing six of his books featuring racist imagery or language.

The library has apologized for the post but spokesperson for BIPOC South Shore Jessika Hepburn says there needs to be more.

“I don’t accept apologies from my children. I tell them the best apology is changed behaviour. I ask them what are they going to do. An apology means nothing without meaningful action.”

The post was the first in a series by the library as part of their participation in the Freedom to Read initiative.

Chief librarian at South Shore Public Libraries Troy Meyers says they didn’t set out to offend anyone.

“We just wanted to foster, in the spirit of freedom to read and access to information, a larger, more open discussion of the merits of the titles that should continue to be celebrated.”

Screen shots of South Shore Public Libraries Facebook posts

Reaction was swift as members of the public condemned the library’s intention to spark controversy.

Later in the day the library uploaded another video to their Facebook page offering a differing viewpoint on the Seuss discussion, but by that time the damage was already done.

Dozens of comments asking for the library to explain itself went unanswered*. Meyers attributes the silence to a lack of resources.

“We’re new to the world of how to manage social media and we don’t have a person who is directly responsible for it. We should’ve had a full-time moderator and we didn’t. We have people who are doing nine other things throughout the day and they help with our social media.”

Meyers says the library now recognizes social media was not the place to have this discussion.

Hepburn is concerned the library would have such a blind spot where issues of race are involved.

“It’s important to recognize, it’s not just a misstep, it’s not just an unintentional mistake; it is systemic racism.”

Meyers says members of the BIPOC community make up only a small number of the total staff working for the library and none of them were on the social media team responsible for the posts.

The offending posts were removed from Facebook late Thursday afternoon and by Friday the library’s apology post was deleted as well. Meyers says they’ve learned a valuable lesson and deleting the posts is part of an effort to move forward and correct their error.

“It was a mistake and it’s not to scrub the corporate memory, it’s just to be able to start the next chapter in this conversation which is how South Shore Public Libraries can do a better job, and to promote diversity and to work with our local BIPOC communities in Queens County and Lunenburg County and strive to do better.”

Hepburn says as an organization, South Shore Public Libraries need to educate themselves on why the posts were so offensive and upset so many.

“There’s a huge amount of work that needs to be done and the first part is to actually demonstrate some humility, to recognize that they obviously do not have the skills or the capacity or the knowledge to address these concerns and to reach out to the people who do.”

To that end, Myers says he had a conversation with a representative of the Bridgewater anti-racism task force and will be meeting with members of that group next week.**

“We’d love to have a member of their group join our board. And we’d love to have them help us develop some training modules that we can use and to help deliver them so we can make sure that people are sensitized to the issues that are important to us as a healthy diverse community.”

*A previous version of this story said the responses were answered. They in fact were unanswered and the story has been changed for accuracy.

**A previous version of this story indicated SSPL was going to meet with members of South Shore BIPOC. Myers has clarified that during the conversation with the Bridgewater anti-racism task force he thought he was speaking with members of South Shore BIPOC as well. He has reached out to South Shore BIPOC and has offered to meet with them.

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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