LBANS President Mary MacLellan

It is with excitement and anticipation that I begin my term as President of LBANS. Our executive has agreed to consider some interesting new initiatives and a more proactive direction over the next two years in an effort to raise the profile of LBANS and promote library awareness throughout the province.

The launch of LBANS new website, www.standupforlibraries.ca, will provide a vehicle to showcase individuals, boards, programs and services from all libraries in Nova Scotia. We are excited about this interactive site and we invite participation from all stakeholders to ensure that timely, pertinent and meaningful information will be consistently available on the site. We thank the staff of Pictou Antigonish regional library for their work in designing, producing and maintaining this site.

The time spent with our new minister of education, Marilyn More, at the October conference in Yarmouth gave us an opportunity to inform the minister of the valuable work done by individual libraries and of the importance of providing “consistent, stable, and sustainable” library funding for libraries in Nova Scotia.

We are encouraged with the knowledge, understanding and personal support Minister More expressed for the services libraries provide . We anticipate a positive working relationship with our new NDP government and look forward to moving the long awaited MOU through cabinet. To continue to provide the important diverse services, provided to and expected by the over 300,000 users in Nova Scotia libraries, need and deserve an adequate reliable funding process.