Path forward for Hay River’s shuttered library remains unclear

A week after the NWT Centennial Library in Hay River shut its doors, there remains no clear timeline for it to reopen.

The volunteer committee that ran the library stepped down on April 30, leading to the facility’s closure amid ongoing uncertainty about its future.

The situation was triggered in part by changes to GNWT funding, including plans to end direct territorial funding for the Hay River head librarian’s role.

Town councillors have yet to decide what happens next. Options include forming a new committee to take over.

On Tuesday, councillor Tom Lakusta told Cabin Radio he expects more information about the library situation to be made public in a week’s time. At the moment, he isn’t certain what will happen next.

“We’re all pretty saddened by it all,” said Lakusta, adding that he can’t discuss deliberations that recent took place behind closed doors during an in-camera portion of a council meeting.

The territorial government has since altered its stance on funding, committing to fund the head librarian position until March 31, 2027 while a new model is worked out.

However, Lakusta said broader talks are still in progress.

He said the town had attended meetings and communicated with members of the library committee over the past year and a half, with engagement intensifying earlier this year as the head librarian prepared to retire. Despite those discussions, he said the committee ultimately decided to cease operations.

Lakusta, who served as council’s liaison to the library committee, said he couldn’t comment on why the town had elected not to take over running the library following past pressure from the committee. 

“The town is certainly very, very sad about the library closing and wants to open it up as soon as possible,” he said.

“I don’t think the town envisions the library closing for good, or closing for any long period of time.

“There’s still some conversation happening, and I think it’s mostly between the town and the Government of the Northwest Territories. At this point, we’re just trying to figure out something as quickly as possible to get the library back open.”

Staff ‘disappointed’

Anne Boden, chair of the dissolved committee, said the town has not provided any updates since the library’s closure. (Lakusta said former committee members had not approached him.)

“The most important thing is when is the library going to reopen and who will be running it,” Boden wrote via email. “The Hay River library committee will have no further comment.”

Marie Kopp-van Egteren, a former library employee, said the outgoing committee had been preparing for this transition for some time. She herself is not a member of that committee.

Members developed policies and procedures and organized materials in anticipation of either a handover or closure, she said. As a result, the facility and its operations are ready for someone else to assume control when a decision is made.

Kopp-van Egteren said she was told officials believe the library would be better run by an independent, arm’s-length committee, though the reasoning remains unclear to her – particularly as many municipalities operate their libraries directly.

The closure has left some in the community, like Kopp-van Egteren, disappointed and confused.

According to her, many residents were unaware the library was operated by a committee rather than the town.

“Personally, obviously, I’m disappointed,” she said, adding she believes most people don’t understand the full range of services the library provided.

“I have another job, so this doesn’t impact me in that way. It’s more, you know, I enjoy going to work.”

Kopp-van Egteren said people who came to a recent town council meeting did not understand why a discussion about the library took place in camera, limiting their ability to listen and contribute. The library is a public asset, she said, and council should be seeking input from residents.

“I feel very strongly on that one,” she said. “I think the town needs to include the people. That’s a little bit ridiculous that they’re not.”