The Bracebridge Library Board is voicing its support for provincial and federal library organizations opposing Alberta’s proposed Bill 28.
Bill 28, titled the Municipal Affairs and Housing Statutes Amendment Act 2026, would include:
- Material containing sexually explicit images placed behind the library counter or in an area where youth aged 15 and younger can’t access them.
- Expands the Minister of Municipal Affairs’ power to appoint inspectors to review library collections, records, and operations.
- Libraries may need to reconfigure physical spaces, retrain staff, and implement new age-verification processes for users, without new funding.
The Coalition of Alberta Public Libraries says this would compromise the core mission of libraries as inclusive, free spaces for information.
In a news release, The Bracebridge Library states:
Public libraries are built upon principles of local governance, professional expertise, equitable access to information, and community accountability. Across Canada, public library boards and trained library professionals work collaboratively to develop collections and services that support intellectual freedom in communities while upholding established professional standards and legislative responsibilities.
The Bracebridge Library Board shares the concerns raised by provincial and national library organizations regarding provisions within Bill 28 that would:
- Reduce the autonomy of local library boards;
- Introduce increased provincial oversight into local collection and governance decisions;
- Create the potential for political interference in public library operations; and
- Raise concerns regarding patron privacy and intellectual freedom.
The release states that the library’s board believes that public trust in libraries is built through transparency, professional accountability, strong local governance, and evidence-based decision-making.
The Federation of Ontario Public Libraries, the Canadian Federation of Library Associations and library organizations across Canada have opposed Bill 28, saying that it compromises:
- Intellectual freedom;
- Freedom to read;
- Patron privacy;
- Local governance; and
- Equitable public access to information.
“Public libraries have always played an important role in supporting intellectual freedom, equitable access to information, and lifelong learning within our communities,” says Crystal Bergstrome, CEO & Chief Librarian of the Bracebridge Library.
The Bracebridge Library also states that local library boards across the country play a role in representing and responding to their own unique communities and function best when decisions are made locally.
“Libraries must remain welcoming public spaces where individuals can freely explore ideas, access information, and engage with diverse perspectives without fear of censorship or unnecessary government intrusion.”
