It's Operating Budget planning time at the City of Winnipeg and recently staff members at Winnipeg Public Library "went public" with the message that the city's library system should not - and cannot - withstand another round of budget cuts.

Winnipeg Public Library workers are members of CUPE Local 500. The Local recently produced a pamphlet titled "Public Libraries Serve Winnipeg" which is being distributed to library branches and other locations in the city, and which staff members handed out in front of the Millennium Library earlier this year.
 
The 2010 Operating Budget is expected to be approved by the end of March. The 2009 Operating Budget, found here:

http://www.winnipeg.ca/FinEXT/FPR/files/2009_adopted_operating_budget.pdf

has projected staff cuts for this fiscal year and moving forward (see pages 108 and 109 of the PDF).

For more information about the Local's campaign to support public library service in Winnipeg visit:
http://cupe500.mb.ca/campaigns/publiclibraries.htm

and be sure to contact your City councillor to let your voice be heard on behalf of libraries.