The New Westminster Public Library is managing to weather the storm of provincial financial cutbacks.

But the chief librarian says many NWPL programs can’t stay afloat if there’s another wave of belt-tightening.

“There will probably be provincial government cuts next year,” said Julie Spurrell, who’s been working with other chief librarians across the province finding ways to keep programs going. “And if there is a cut in direct grants to libraries, then we will not be able to keep some programs going. The future in New Westminster is very uncertain for some programs.”

The actual impact on NWPL from reduced provincial grants has been manageable. However, where the library has been affected most is the loss of funding for province-wide programs.

An example of that is the Books for Babies program that supplies a book and a CD to newborns and their parents. The literacy program has been eliminated.

But Spurrell’s greatest concern is the loss of online databases, which Victoria funded. The suite of databases, like Encyclopedia of B.C. Online, Canadian Newsstand and the Auto Repair Reference Centre, were available province wide.

The Ask Away website will also be affected. The online service allows users to directly ask librarians questions and chat about their research topics.

Spurrell hopes libraries across the province can keep the online referral resource running until the end of the school year.

“We’re still trying to work with the (database) vendors and those responsible for the licensing of them to determine what we can afford,” she said.

NWPL, the oldest public library in the province, received $170,000 in direct grants from the province in 2008, which was reduced about 20 per cent this year. The City of New Westminster is the main funder of the library with a $2.9 million grant.

mmcquillan@newwestnewsleader.com