Canadian municipalities have a long history of funding public libraries in towns and cities across the country. Unfortunately, in the face of difficult budgets, some councils have increasingly questioned that support. Meanwhile, a few influential groups have recently claimed that financing libraries wastes public money and falls outside the purview of local government.

In an interview, Marc Delisle of a regional taxpayers association expanded on the subject. "People can already locate almost anything they want online, so why should councils keep paying for buildings full of books? Government should not be in the business of choosing what residents read, because whenever it does, taxpayers end up subsidizing the hobbies of a small group of frequent users," claimed Delisle. "If libraries genuinely offer something people value, communities can sustain them through donations and membership fees, much as a fitness club survives."