It is unacceptable that the citizens of Quebec City do not have access to their public library network due to the labor dispute between the Canadian Institute of Quebec and its employees, which has dragged on unduly since 1er last March.
Public libraries are refuges of knowledge and creation accessible to all, regardless of their social origin, their economic status or their level of education. In our libraries, everyone can explore, be entertained, learn and grow. They also play an important role in promoting literacy by providing a welcoming space where children can discover the pleasure of reading from a very young age.
Library employees offer adults reading clubs, literary meetings and book recommendations, thus promoting the development of a dynamic readership.
At the center of community life, our libraries allow people to come together to exchange ideas, participate in cultural mediation events, or simply meet in a welcoming environment. In this sense, libraries strengthen the social fabric, cultural diversity and the feeling of belonging to one’s environment.
Guardians of collective memory, they preserve and make available to us historical documents, archives and specialized collections which bear witness to regional or national history and culture. By preserving these treasures, libraries ensure the transmission of heritage to future generations and contribute to forging a collective identity.
In short, public libraries are much more than just warehouses of books; they are gems where knowledge, creativity and community flourish. Their importance lies in their ability to open doors, broaden horizons and foster individual and collective well-being. Therefore, public libraries deserve to be cherished, supported and recognized for the benefits they provide.
It is therefore high time that this conflict is resolved by offering decent working conditions to network employees so that we can all, stakeholders in the community in communion with the population, celebrate the reopening of the Gabrielle-Roy library “in the “honor and enthusiasm” and the restarting of the library loan system, which ensures free access to literature from here and elsewhere.
The elected officials of the City of Quebec must get involved in this matter so that this labor conflict, which brings shame to a so-called UNESCO literary city, is concluded satisfactorily as quickly as possible.