Today the Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Education, and the Honourable Derek Bennett, MHA Lewisporte-Twillingate, announced $600,000 to the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board (PILRB), which is responsible for public library services in Newfoundland and Labrador. The Minister made the announcement at the Lewisporte Public Library and was joined by Myrtice Alpen, Chair of the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board.

One-time funding of $500,000 has been allocated to supplement the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board’s core operating grant, for a total of over $12.8 million in Provincial Government funding for this fiscal year. This will support the board with costs for maintenance, operations and acquiring additional resources such as new hard copy and digital books.

An additional $100,000 will be provided to the board to support the expansion of the Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries’ early years programming to include digital literacy tools. Using digital technologies responsively with children over the age of three helps prepare them for the future and is important in achieving early literacy goals.

There are currently 94 public libraries throughout the province that provide a variety of important literacy and community-based services to individuals, families and community groups. Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries works to ensure that library materials, free access to the Internet and programs are available to meet the needs of the province’s people.

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to providing high-quality public library services for access to reading material, internet and related programs to children, youth and adults in the province. The Department of Education provides core operational funding to the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board each year to support public library services in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Quotes
“Library services play an important role in communities throughout the province. This additional funding to the Provincial Information and Library Resources Board will further support their important work to increase literacy of people of all ages in Newfoundland and Labrador.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Education

“The Lewisporte Public Library is one of many outstanding service providers that is helping to meet the needs of people in the province. I am pleased that libraries like this one will be supported to meet their operational needs through increased funding. I thank Minister Howell and Chairperson Myrtice Alpen for their continued collaboration.”
Honourable Derek Bennett
MHA Lewisporte-Twillingate

“We are extremely grateful for the support of Minister Howell and her department and look forward to continuing to work together to provide excellent library services to our province. We are excited about the additional resources that we will be able to provide, not just in terms of physical and digital books, but with improved library spaces. We are grateful for the additional $100,000 to expand and modernize our Early Literacy program with digital material which will provide children with a wider range of experiences than we traditionally could provide.”
Andrew Hunt
Executive Director, Provincial Information and Library Resources Board

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 BACKGROUNDER

Provincial Information and Library Resources Board
The Provincial Information and Library Resources Board (PILRB) is an independent board established by the Provincial Government through the Public Libraries Act. The Board is charged with the responsibility of:

• Establishing and operating public libraries throughout the province.
• A Provincial Reference and Resource Library.
• A centralized Technical Services division.
• Library services to communities without libraries through a Books-by-Mail Service.
• Centralized administrative services from its provincial headquarters.

The Provincial Board presently operates 94 public libraries throughout the province.

Early Years Programming
The Department of Education provided over $1.1 million in 2023 to Newfoundland and Labrador Public Libraries to support a three-year Early Literacy Outreach program from 2023-2026. Promotion of appropriate and safe use of digital tools engages children’s development, learning, and well-being.