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Hamilton Spectator
17-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Thousands of fewer kids are visiting Hamilton libraries. How does your local branch fare?
Thousands of Hamilton children have stopped going to the library. Membership dropped nearly 40 per cent at the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) for kids under the age of 13 compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of children with library cards was down to 25,720 in 2023, compared to 41,913 in 2019. 'Obviously we're concerned,' said Paul Takala, CEO and chief librarian at HPL. 'If we don't have the kids coming into the library, we're really missing an opportunity to open them to the world of reading.' Kids are missing from libraries across the city — it's not one branch or area of Hamilton that is driving the decline that saw kids fall to 12 per cent of library members in 2023 compared to 18 per cent in 2019. HPL is considering several measures to bring kids back, including potentially moving the children's section at Central Library to a separate floor and expanding programs like story time. 'More and more, we're learning the importance of early childhood development … so we really need to double down on engaging the people that we haven't been able to,' Takala said. 'I think the big thing that's working is when we offer free programs like story times, we get people coming, so we need to do more and more of that.' Overall, circulation of children's materials decreased 17 per cent in 2023 compared to 2019. It appears the numbers continued to fall last year, but the data is considered unreliable because of the ransomware attack on the city in February last year. Data provided by HPL shows just five of the city's 23 library branches saw an increase in the circulation of children materials from 2019 to 2023 — Mount Hope, Valley Park, Locke, Kenilworth and Greensville. Parkdale doesn't have information going back far enough to determine a trend. The rest saw decreases ranging from three per cent in Carlisle to 42 per cent at Central Library. Nine library branches had declines of 20 per cent or more — they were located from east to west and from the Mountain to the lower city. Takala says there is not one single reason for the fall in numbers. Paul Takala, CEO and chief librarian at Hamilton Public Library, is concerned about the drop in children's memberships. But there are some common themes. One is that lockdowns during the pandemic — and a slow restart due to staff shortages — kept kids away from the library, and they haven't all come back. 'One thing that I think we're coming to realize is the lack of social connection during the pandemic has had some lasting impacts that are going to take some time to heal,' Takala said. 'People got out of practice of coming and then you also have … the heightened anxiety that a lot of youth feel if you're not used to doing something.' Another issue is that libraries are such a lifeline for some of the city's most vulnerable residents that social workers have been hired to be on site at Central. The libraries are available as warm places during the winter and cool places in the summer. 'We see people with addictions or mental health challenges and that is challenging our ability to create a safe public space for everyone at times,' Takala said. The cost has been that some parents no longer feel comfortable bringing their kids to the library. Andréa Ngombet thought Central would be the best place to take his four-year-old son when the youngster suddenly had to go the washroom while they were waiting for a haircut at Jackson Square on Feb. 28. The mall's public restroom was closed, so they scurried to the attached library at 55 York Blvd. But instead of finding refuge, Ngombet was scared off going back to the downtown branch by what his young son encountered in the washroom. 'In the men's washroom, a couple — clearly unhoused — was engaged in intercourse inside a stall,' Ngombet wrote in an opinion piece published in The Spectator March 31. 'In another corner, a man was vomiting into a urinal. My son, eyes wide and confused, gripped my hand a little tighter. We turned and used the women's washroom, which, while not much cleaner, at least came without the same soundtrack.' In an interview, Ngombet said he felt he had to speak out about the experiences that are driving families away from Central. 'Every time we went there, there was always something that was not right,' he said. 'I'm not comfortable in that children's section.' In the past, he says, they've seen fighting and evidence of drug use or intoxication at the library. Adults without kids often sit in or near the children's area. Ngombet said his hat was stolen in January while he was at Central and he had a cold walk home without it. The bathroom incident was the last straw for the family that came to Hamilton from Paris, France, about one year ago. 'I was very upset,' Ngombet said. 'It's not safe for the kids.' He now takes his son to the Westdale branch by bus despite it being farther from their downtown home. 'There's a lot of space in the (Central) library, but the only place where people are is close to the kids,' Ngombet said. 'You need to separate the kids.' Takala said the dad's message 'really hit home' for him when he read it in the paper. 'I understand what he's going through,' Takala said. 'We as a society, as a community, need to create a good public space for everyone, but especially our youth if we want them to engage.' HPL is working on better separating kids from the rest of Central Library. In the short term, sound baffling is being set up in the coming months to create a sense of separation and reduce noise in the children's area. The layout of the furniture on the first floor is being reviewed and the library will try to make sure the family washroom is used more exclusively by parents with kids. For the long term, Takala is creating a plan and looking for funding to relocate the children's department — potentially to the second floor. It would be a larger space dedicated only to people with children and would have its own separate washrooms. However, no final decision has been made and there is hesitation around losing the view into the farmer's market. 'I think we're realizing, given our current downtown and the challenges that it's experiencing, we probably do want to create more sense of, 'I'm in the children's department,'' said Takala. 'It's clearly a separate and unique space in the library, so there is a lot of work to do around that.' However, more issues are at play than safety downtown considering the Barton branch had the second-lowest decrease in the circulation of children's materials at eight per cent, while libraries in more affluent parts of the city such as Westdale had a drop of 32 per cent and in rural areas such as Lynden saw a decline of 33 per cent. To get kids back, the library has been expanding the number of children's programs it provides by about 68 per cent to 6,087 in 2024 from 3,632 in 2019. HPL is also trying to make it easier for kids to get library cards — one potential project would see them added to the parent portal used by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. The library is looking to get the attention of teens by offering 10 free prints a day of photocopying or computer printing. Kids aged six to 12 can get a free PRESTO card from branches, and a library card gives free access to Hamilton's eight city-owned museums. 'I can't say how important it is that we help families grow the next generation of readers,' Takala said. 'It's really important that we have places where people with different backgrounds can come together and where kids can experience community.'
Hamilton Spectator
16-05-2025
- General
- Hamilton Spectator
Why are 16,000 fewer kids going to Hamilton's libraries?
Thousands of Hamilton children have stopped going to the library. Membership dropped nearly 40 per cent at the Hamilton Public Library (HPL) for kids under the age of 13 compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. The number of children with library cards was down to 25,720 in 2023, compared to 41,913 in 2019. 'Obviously we're concerned,' said Paul Takala, CEO and chief librarian at HPL. 'If we don't have the kids coming into the library, we're really missing an opportunity to open them to the world of reading.' Kids are missing from libraries across the city — it's not one branch or area of Hamilton that is driving the decline that saw kids fall to 12 per cent of library members in 2023 compared to 18 per cent in 2019. HPL is considering several measures to bring kids back, including potentially moving the children's section at Central Library to a separate floor and expanding programs like story time. 'More and more, we're learning the importance of early childhood development … so we really need to double down on engaging the people that we haven't been able to,' Takala said. 'I think the big thing that's working is when we offer free programs like story times, we get people coming, so we need to do more and more of that.' Overall, circulation of children's materials decreased 17 per cent in 2023 compared to 2019. It appears the numbers continued to fall last year, but the data is considered unreliable because of the ransomware attack on the city in February last year. Data provided by HPL shows just five of the city's 23 library branches saw an increase in the circulation of children materials from 2019 to 2023 — Mount Hope, Valley Park, Locke, Kenilworth and Greensville. Parkdale doesn't have information going back far enough to determine a trend. The rest saw decreases ranging from three per cent in Carlisle to 42 per cent at Central Library. Nine library branches had declines of 20 per cent or more — they were located from east to west and from the Mountain to the lower city. Takala says there is not one single reason for the fall in numbers. Paul Takala, CEO and chief librarian at Hamilton Public Library, is concerned about the drop in children's memberships. But there are some common themes. One is that lockdowns during the pandemic — and a slow restart due to staff shortages — kept kids away from the library, and they haven't all come back. 'One thing that I think we're coming to realize is the lack of social connection during the pandemic has had some lasting impacts that are going to take some time to heal,' Takala said. 'People got out of practice of coming and then you also have … the heightened anxiety that a lot of youth feel if you're not used to doing something.' Another issue is that libraries are such a lifeline for some of the city's most vulnerable residents that social workers have been hired to be on site at Central. The libraries are available as warm places during the winter and cool places in the summer. 'We see people with addictions or mental health challenges and that is challenging our ability to create a safe public space for everyone at times,' Takala said. The cost has been that some parents no longer feel comfortable bringing their kids to the library. Andréa Ngombet thought Central would be the best place to take his four-year-old son when the youngster suddenly had to go the washroom while they were waiting for a haircut at Jackson Square on Feb. 28. The mall's public restroom was closed, so they scurried to the attached library at 55 York Blvd. But instead of finding refuge, Ngombet was scared off going back to the downtown branch by what his young son encountered in the washroom. 'In the men's washroom, a couple — clearly unhoused — was engaged in intercourse inside a stall,' Ngombet wrote in an opinion piece published in The Spectator March 31. 'In another corner, a man was vomiting into a urinal. My son, eyes wide and confused, gripped my hand a little tighter. We turned and used the women's washroom, which, while not much cleaner, at least came without the same soundtrack.' In an interview, Ngombet said he felt he had to speak out about the experiences that are driving families away from Central. 'Every time we went there, there was always something that was not right,' he said. 'I'm not comfortable in that children's section.' In the past, he says, they've seen fighting and evidence of drug use or intoxication at the library. Adults without kids often sit in or near the children's area. Ngombet said his hat was stolen in January while he was at Central and he had a cold walk home without it. The bathroom incident was the last straw for the family that came to Hamilton from Paris, France, about one year ago. 'I was very upset,' Ngombet said. 'It's not safe for the kids.' He now takes his son to the Westdale branch by bus despite it being farther from their downtown home. 'There's a lot of space in the (Central) library, but the only place where people are is close to the kids,' Ngombet said. 'You need to separate the kids.' Takala said the dad's message 'really hit home' for him when he read it in the paper. 'I understand what he's going through,' Takala said. 'We as a society, as a community, need to create a good public space for everyone, but especially our youth if we want them to engage.' HPL is working on better separating kids from the rest of Central Library. In the short term, sound baffling is being set up in the coming months to create a sense of separation and reduce noise in the children's area. The layout of the furniture on the first floor is being reviewed and the library will try to make sure the family washroom is used more exclusively by parents with kids. For the long term, Takala is creating a plan and looking for funding to relocate the children's department — potentially to the second floor. It would be a larger space dedicated only to people with children and would have its own separate washrooms. However, no final decision has been made and there is hesitation around losing the view into the farmer's market. 'I think we're realizing, given our current downtown and the challenges that it's experiencing, we probably do want to create more sense of, 'I'm in the children's department,'' said Takala. 'It's clearly a separate and unique space in the library, so there is a lot of work to do around that.' However, more issues are at play than safety downtown considering the Barton branch had the second-lowest decrease in the circulation of children's materials at eight per cent, while libraries in more affluent parts of the city such as Westdale had a drop of 32 per cent and in rural areas such as Lynden saw a decline of 33 per cent. To get kids back, the library has been expanding the number of children's programs it provides by about 68 per cent to 6,087 in 2024 from 3,632 in 2019. HPL is also trying to make it easier for kids to get library cards — one potential project would see them added to the parent portal used by the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board. The library is looking to get the attention of teens by offering 10 free prints a day of photocopying or computer printing. Kids aged six to 12 can get a free PRESTO card from branches, and a library card gives free access to Hamilton's eight city-owned museums. 'I can't say how important it is that we help families grow the next generation of readers,' Takala said. 'It's really important that we have places where people with different backgrounds can come together and where kids can experience community.'
Libya Observer
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Observer
Takala rejects transfer of immigrants or convicts to Libya
Mohammed Takala expressed his rejection of proposals to deport migrants or individuals convicted of crimes to Libya as part of unofficial arrangements under what is known as 'safe third country agreements.' Takala added that Libya is a sovereign state and an active member of the international community, saying it should not be dragged into or treated as a substitute ground for resolving international crises related to migration or security. He stressed that the contents of these international reports do not reflect the position of the Libyan state, noting that no authorized entity has negotiated or signed any agreements that would affect the country's sovereignty. He also stressed the High Council of State's categorical rejection of turning Libyan territory into a platform for deporting migrants or convicts from other countries, calling on the international community to respect the will of the Libyan people and support their efforts toward stability, rather than burdening them with issues beyond their responsibilities. Takala further called on all local and international parties to coordinate with Libya's legitimate institutions in any matter affecting its interests or international standing, reaffirming that the migration issue requires fair and humane solutions that uphold human dignity—not partial or selective measures. This comes after Reuters and The New York Times cited unnamed US officials saying that the administration of President Donald Trump may deport migrants by air to Libya for the first time as early as May 07, 2025.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Seattle cruise season sets sail with record-breaking demand, big economic impact
The Brief With nearly 2 million passengers expected, 2025 will likely mark another record-setting season for the Seattle cruise industry. The travel experiences are also projected to bring in millions for the local economy, as many are eager to explore the Emerald City's top attractions. SEATTLE - Nearly two million cruise passengers are expected to pass through Seattle over the next five months, marking what is projected to be another record-setting season for the Emerald City's cruise industry. By the numbers Holland America's Koningsdam was bustling this week with more than 2,600 passengers aboard—each cabin sold out, and the next few sailings to Alaska already booked solid. Gage Griffin, Cruise and Travel Director for Holland America, tells FOX 13 the industry's rebound since the pandemic has been dramatic. "People couldn't cruise for a few years so they're trying to make up for lost time," said Griffin. The economic impact of cruise tourism in Seattle is just as expansive as the ships themselves. Holland America alone expects to run 43 voyages from the city this season, each contributing roughly $250,000 to the local economy. "When they're here in Seattle, that's 88,000 people coming through the area, and each time we have a ship here," said Jeanine Takala, Holland America Public Relations. The Port of Seattle reports that nearly 300 ships will dock in the city over the course of the season. Holland America is just one part of that boom, representing roughly a sixth of all sailings. "Every single voyage brings about a quarter of a million dollars," Takala added. Passengers aren't just spending money onboard. Many are eager to explore Seattle's top attractions before heading north. "People are really trying to plan out what they're doing on the ship and also in the ports," said Griffin. "Going into restaurants, going to the Space Needle, going to the market, going to Starbucks." More cruise lines are eyeing Seattle as well. Starting in June, Holland America's sister line, Cunard, will begin an 11-sailing schedule to Alaska. By spring 2026, MSC and Virgin Voyages will also make Seattle their homeport. "Bookings are going further and further out — we're having some of the best quarters we've had," Takala said. The Source Information in this story is from Holland America, the Port of Seattle and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Boeing 737 reportedly rejected overseas, FOX 13 finds matching jet in Seattle China retaliates against Trump's tariffs Gov. Bob Ferguson signs bill restricting armed forces from entering WA Fast Ferry cuts loom as Washington faces budget crisis To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national coverage, plus 24/7 streaming coverage from across the nation
