ATHABASCA — Town of Athabasca councillors welcomed a familiar face in council chambers during their Nov. 5 meeting when former mayor Coleen Powell stopped in with a crew from the Alice B. Donahue Library to provide an update on the last 12 months.
Board chair Powell, joined by library manager Ariel Johnson and board treasurer Annette Weinrich, was greeted by warm comments and more than a few jokes as she took a new seat almost directly across from her old one at the head of the councillor’s table.
“We’re operating this place with six people with ticky-tack and string, and they’re doing a wonderful job,” said Powell.
The four nearly full-time staff members and two part time employees have served over 12,000 guests at the library in 2024 as of Nov. 1, and facilitated the circulation of 28,035 items, including books, movies, and games.
“We had over 90 volunteers in 2023,” said Powell. “Some come in one day a week, some come in more often, some come in and do very specific projects, but it’s a happening place.”
After a cull of old and unused cards from the system, the library now has 1,167 registered and active users. Of its regular patrons served, roughly half — 545 — call the town home, with slightly more, or 556, coming from the county, and 65 users travelling from the various summer villages in the area.
While a majority of library users are in the 65-plus age demographic, making up 28.5 per cent of users, Powell highlighted the almost equal division of cardholders among other age groups.
Youth under 18 and middle-aged locals between 35 and 50 make up around 20 per cent of users, while the 51-64 crowd comes in slightly under at 17.4 per cent. Young adult Athabascans make up the smallest demographic, with only 13 per cent of library users aged 18-34 have cards.
This year, 1609 users and locals without cards alike took advantage of the more than 20 programs put on by the library, ranging from one-day events like Free Comic Book Day in May, to ongoing activities like the monthly Dungeon’s and Dragon’s nights and the weeks-long, award-winning One Book, One Community program events.
Related: Athabasca’s One Book, One Community program receives provincial award
The position of program coordinator previously held by Cheryl Andrews has been filled by new hire Shayla Dargis, who has brought new options like STEM club, where kids can put science into action in novel ways.
Also new to the library this year is an updated and improved website, weekly beginner English lessons for Ukrainians, and a welcoming offering of coffee, tea, and at times even cookies for guests as soon as they enter.
“Not that we didn’t have good management before, but I noticed with Ariel coming in the amount of enthusiasm that has been put into the place,” said Coun. Dave Pacholok. “It’s wonderful to go there.”
Funds for the future
True to her fashion, Powell did not mince words when addressing the biggest ticket item on the board's wishlist: “We need a new library,” she told councillors.
“Since we are considered a municipal operation, we can only raise money the same way you can — we can get donations, we can’t go out and do casinos,” she said.
Powell noted the Friends of the Athabasca Public Library and Archives Society, a branch of volunteers established to raise funds, has been up and running for nearly a year now, and will soon be able to apply for its charitable gaming license.
If granted, cash earned from casinos will go a long way towards building a new facility, but Powell stressed the importance of municipal money in the venture.
“That doesn’t mean we’re going to come here and say, ‘In your next budget we would like you to put $5 million aside for us.’ It would be nice, but unless you’ve all bought lottery tickets, and the winnings go to council, that’s not going to happen."
“We need your support, we need you to recognize that this is a town operation, not a committee or a community service,” added Powell.
