Tag Archives: Cortes Island Library

Arts, Communications

Vancouver Island Regional Library explains 15% Budget Increase

The Vancouver Island Regional Library increased its operating budget for 2024 to $38 million. That is 15% more money than last year ($33 million).  Executive Director Brent Hyman explained that this increase is necessary because the library’s  previous management did not budget properly and more money is needed for wages, benefits and leases. He has been giving presentations to the library’s funding partners. He has already spoken in Victoria, Nanaimo, and some of the other regional districts. Six of the library’s 39 branches are in the Strathcona Regional District (SRD) and he gave a presentation at the SRD Board’s March 27th meeting. 

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Arts

Special Events this month at the Cortes Island Museum & Wild Cortes

The Cortes Island Museum is offering a full slate of special events this month

They start at 1 PM this Saturday, Aug 5, with Jewellery Identification. People are being invited to bring their own pieces. 

“I’ve got a small collection and  I’m going to at least bring some things that I have that I think are interesting.  We can go over the different types of materials, a little bit of the process of manufacturing and also go over the gems that are commonly found within pieces. We  even talk about  the time periods that the pieces have come from, as their stylistic choices in manufacturing basically,” explained Events Coordinator, Alex Woywitka.

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Community

2023 Cortes Social Profit Gathering

Originally published by the Cortes Foundation

A woven tray of fresh flowers is making its way around the circle of 50 or so participants in the Social Profit Gathering held mid-June on Cortes Island, BC. Co-organizer Manda Aufochs Gillespie (Cortes Island Community Foundation, Folk U), has kicked off the day with an address to this land that has continued to provide for human communities since time immemorial. Everyone is invited to take a colorful bloom and connect to this place by holding a piece of it. The other invitation is to co-create the day ahead, building onto the scheduled agenda with collective knowledge, ideas and experience.

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Education

Library strike: No job action today

Editor’s Note: While there were no picket lines on Thursday, as the article below states, they appeared at the Nanaimo Harbourfront branch and Creativity Commons in downtown Nanaimo on Friday.

There will be no job action today in the Vancouver Island Regional Library strike, which began Tuesday. 

A  BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU) spokesperson emailed Cortes Currents, “We do not want to be in job action so, in order to minimize impact on communities, we are making plans day-to-day based on what we hear from the mediator and will update the community as far in advance as we can.” 

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Education

Library strike could start Wednesday

The libraries in our area are preparing for a strike. Shortly after BC General Employees’ Union (BCGEU), which represents the librarians, issued a 72-hour strike notice last Wednesday, the Vancouver Island Regional Library (VIRL) made a new offer to its librarians. This was rejected and the union responded with a counteroffer.

Their collective agreement with the VIRL expired 15 months ago.

BCGEU President Stephanie Smith said, “Unless the employer comes back with a serious offer, pickets will be up at VIRL branches starting Wednesday, March 9.”

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