News Archive:

Selkirk Journal Article March 17 2006

Chance to author future
New library campaign looks for volunteers, ideas

Selkirk Journal Article January 20 2006

Library turns a page
St. Clements added to regional membership

Selkirk Journal Article January 13 2006

New chapter for library
Secures land for planned new Selkirk facility from province

Selkirk Journal Article October 14 2005

A novel idea
Plans for a new tri-regional library moving forward

 

Interesting information about libraries:

Libraries are a place for education and for self-help. And because they offer free access to all, bring opportunity to all.

Number of Manitoba adults aged 20 to 64 with less than a high school diploma: 180,380 (or more than 1 in 4)

The estimated cost of low literacy to Manitoba society: $375 million

A study by Statistics Canada released on May 11, 2005 shows that millions of Canadians do not have the literacy skills they need to keep pace with the escalating demands of our society and economy.

Literacy is strongly connected to Canada's productivity and position in the global economy, as it becomes increasingly clear that skills drive economic growth. (Coulombe, Tremblay and Marchand, 2004)

The CD Howe Institute released a report making the economic case for literacy – showing that a 1% rise in average literacy rates would increase GDP by $18 billion a year!

Literacy affects health care: Adults who say they are the healthiest have higher average literacy and numeracy scores, while those who report poor health have the lowest average proficiencies.

In a knowledge-based society, the public library is the key to our community's success. Literacy is the basis for the well-being of individuals, families and the whole province.

Libraries change lives. The ability to read, write and perform basic math has an impact well beyond those skills. Low literacy is, on the surface, an invisible handicap. Its effects, however, are not. Investing in literacy makes economic, social and political sense.