Video promotes what's special about tiny Oyama library

An Oyama woman has produced a video calling for the small community library there to be spared.

The production, by Alison Beaumont, features locals praising the modest but beloved public facility.

In September, the Okanagan Regional Library Board confirmed the small outlet would close due to the potential sale of the building that had been leased for decades.

The board said the tiny library does not meet their standards or policies for branch size or location. Their main library is currently situated in the Lake Country Municipal Hall nearby and the Oyama closure would allow for an expansion of hours for the larger facility.

The board said approved changes – to be implemented in the fall - will ‘better direct library funding to provide more excellent services to more people in the entire District of Lake Country while maintaining local Oyama special programming and additional services such as wi-fi and a convenient book return.’

However, in the nine-minute video entitled Save Our Library, More Than Books, various community members – young and older – are quoted, highlighting why the public facility is a key hub for their tight-knit community.

The video concludes with one woman saying:

“In a place that’s growing so big, this small library keeps us grounded where we can find joy and peace.”

The Oyama Library is set to close Oct.31.