Fort St. John Public Library seeks community support amid funding challenges

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The Fort St. John Public Library (FSJPL) is calling on the community for support as it faces ongoing financial challenges.

Its ‘Be a Star’ campaign is aimed at raising funds to purchase new books and maintain services for families and individuals in the community. 

According to the library, while it receives funding from the City of Fort St. John, it is not a city department and does not have guaranteed funding from year to year.

“The Fort St. John Public Library is a library association,” the library said in a Facebook post on December 4th. 

“Beyond our current funding agreements… we rely on grants, fundraising and donations in order to serve our community.”

The FSJPL is encouraging residents to support it by purchasing needed books and DVDs in its Amazon wishlist, making donations through Canada Helps, donating in person or writing a cheque payable to the Fort St. John Public Library at 10015 100th Avenue, Fort St. John, B.C., V1J 1Y7.

Those who donate will be recognized on a bulletin board in the library.

The FSJPL noted its situation is not unique, pointing to similar fundraising efforts underway at other libraries in the province, including the Cranbrook Public Library.

“As with a lot of B.C. libraries, money is going to be tight in 2026,” said Matthew Rankin, the FSJPL’s director of library services.

“We thought this [campaign] would be a great way for patrons and the public to support getting new materials into the library, and to recognize that support.”

More information about the ‘Be a Star’ campaign and library funding challenges can be found on the FSJPL’s website.