WHEREAS since 1939, the Canada Post Library Rate commonly called the Library Book Rate, has assisted in extending library services to rural and remote areas; AND WHEREAS the Library Book Rate has been under negotiation since 2004 between the Department of Canadian Heritage and Canada Post Corporation: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Union of BC Municipalities urge Canada Post Corporation and the Department of Canadian Heritage to retain the current Library Book Rate and extend it to include all library materials including CDs, cassettes, videos and other multimedia.
DEPARTMENT OF CANADIAN HERITAGE Liberal Government ...Although the Library Book Rate is entirely funded and administered by the Canada Post Corporation, the Minister recognizes that it is an important program that ensures equal access to library books for all Canadian readers. The Department of Canadian Heritage has received many submissions from libraries and their associations about their needs with respect to the Library Book Rate. Departmental officials have brought these submissions as well as the library communitys interest in expanding the preferential mailing rates to include non-book materials such as DVDs, compact discs and tapes to the attention of their Canada Post Corporation counterparts. Ms. Frulla is pleased that on July 22, 2005, the Honourable John McCallum, Minister of National Revenue, and the Minister responsible for the Canada Post Corporation, issued a news release indicating that the Library Book Rate would continue beyond April 2006. Mr. McCallum stated that the program is a tremendous tool that helps us achieve some of our most fundamental public policy objectives. In view of his responsibility for the Canada Post Corporation, I have taken the liberty of forwarding a copy of our exchange of correspondence to Mr. McCallum for his information.
CANADA POST ...I wish to assure you that we fully support the Library Book Rate program. Since my arrival at Canada Post, I have thorougly reviewed all aspects of the program to ensure I understand all its facets. Canada Post will continue to honour its commitment to Canadian libraries and will work with them to track the volumes being supported by the Library Book Rate Program. We will also work with the government in quantifying the impacts of the Library Book Rate on our financial status. With respect to the expansion of the definition of materials that would qualify for the Library Book Rate, this is a policy issue that will have to be addressed by the parties involved in the program.