I would like to register a compliment!

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I grew up in Halifax and moved away for a time and then back living permanently on the South Shore. I am a library nerd and visit them in cities all over the world when I travel including New York, London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Sydney Australia, and many others. I love libraries, reading and writing, and that passion grew inside me in Halifax at our public libraries.

My favorite library in the world is ours, the main Halifax Public Library. It is just a fantastic design, a gathering space, a place that celebrates ideas and books, writing and reading and our people. It fits so well into our community and reflects the culture of our city and province. It’s inclusive and free so that every person in our community can access such a lovely place to pause, to read, to reflect, to connect to one another and yes sometimes just to rest and pick our feet up, and who among us doesn’t need a peaceful place to rest once in a while.

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I would like to organize a protest marching out on Spring Garden, picket signs in hand, yelling slogans. “Great job.” “Thank you for having the courage to do something better!” On each sign are the people responsible for making the decision to build this wonderful place, those on the committee, architects, public service, library staff and ‘yes’ the politicians to recognize that the decision took courage, savvy and vision. It’s worth celebrating them. Because if it didn’t work out as well as it had, surely, they would have all received the criticisms we are so free to share with each of those groups when we disapprove. Fair enough, that’s our right to say we want better, but surely occasionally we can admire the vision and yes courage it took to do something great for our community.

We can go into the Paul O’Regan Hall to give them a standing ovation, or are these only reserved for our sports stars? I love sports, but I also love courage and guts and community places that lift us all up. Let’s book one of the meeting rooms, create our first protest poster, name names and start to say thank you publicly to them. And by doing so to give permission to others to do the same.

Did I forget to say I love the place. Sorry if I buried the lead, let me be clear, I love the Halifax Public Library! Job well done!

Don

Don Jones

131 Cosby Road, Port Mouton, Queens County

Nova Scotia B0T 1T0 

Don@experienceit.com

416 970-6107