Library Service at the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library (OSNGUPL) will end for Meaford residents living in the former Sydenham Township on December 31, 2016.

"The Meaford Public Library Board (MPL) chose to terminate the 10-year service agreement with OSNGUPL five years early, on November 7th," said Board Chair Richard Thomas, "and since that time we have been unable to find common ground for a new contract."

Last night at the November 24th meeting of the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board, the following motion was passed:

89-16 Moved by Rick Holland THAT the Library Board regretfully accepts notice from the Meaford Public Library Board that the service contract is terminated effective December 31st, 2016 and that the Owen Sound & North Grey Union Public Library Board remains committed to providing services to all residents of Meaford for 2017 and 2018 at the cost of $120,500 and $130,000 respectively.

The former Sydenham Township was a member of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library board for many years. When Sydenham amalgamated with St. Vincent and Meaford, membership in OSNGUPL was preserved as a part of the agreement, in recognition of Sydenham's long term use of the library and its services.

The key issue is MPL's insistence on getting a better deal for its residents, which in effect means it expects the taxpayers of Georgian Bluffs, Chatsworth and Owen Sound to subsidize library services for Meaford.

In its latest communication with the Owen Sound Board, MPL Chair Peter Bantock stated:

Thank you for making it clear that you are not offering a one-year contract. It is, however, what we are now offering.

"MPL continues to try and dictate the price and terms under which it will 'accept' our service. This is like arriving at the cash register and telling the cashier how much you'll pay for the item and then expecting the store to eat the additional cost. The cost of the service is the cost of the service, and nothing could be fairer than paying the same price everyone else pays for it," Thomas said.

The other key stumbling block revolves around the confidential information of card carrying members in the former Sydenham Township. MPL wants immediate access to the data as a condition of continuing the service to residents of the former Sydenham Township.

"We have concerns with disclosing that information, as doing so may contravene Ontario privacy laws," Thomas said, "however we did suggest in our latest offer that if Meaford could supply contract language agreeable to our lawyer we would be happy to move forward with it."

At its meeting Thursday night, the OSNGUPL Board regretfully accepted MPL's decision to cancel the contract. The Board thanks the residents of the former Sydenham Township for their longtime support of the Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library and wish them all the best in the future.

"We've come to the conclusion that this issue has to be settled in Meaford," Thomas said.

"People who are concerned about the loss of this service need to contact the members of the Meaford Public Library Board and members of Meaford Council. We remain willing to provide library service to all Meaford residents on the same basis that all other users access our services."

source: media release, Owen Sound North Grey Union  Public Library