Parkland Regional Library secures provincial funding

PONOKA -- The Parkland Regional Library has secured new provincial funding to continue their work in supporting local libraries across Central Alberta. 

The Parkland Regional Library System is a municipal cooperative that supports nearly fifty public libraries across the region, including the Ponoka Jubilee Library and Rimbey Community Library. Founded in 1959, the PRLS is Alberta's oldest regional library system and serves over 238,000 residents across 63 municipalities and six First Nations reserves.

In a recent announcement, Lacombe-Ponoka MLA Jennifer Johnson confirmed $64,835 in provincial funding for the PRLS through Alberta's Community Initiatives Program. This will allow the Parkland Regional Library to continue its work as a central hub providing professional, technical, material, and training support to its member libraries.

Specifically, it will allow the PRLS to purchase new vehicles that are essential to delivering services to member libraries throughout central Alberta. The organization's current staff vehicles are reported to be between eight and twelve years old, and both were purchased used.

The PRLS says they support the belief that every Albertan should have equitable access to public library resources that will enable them to meet their informational, educational, cultural, and recreational needs.