Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Appoints Provincial Librarian

Community and Cultural Affairs Minister Gail Shea announced today that Allan Groen has accepted the position of Provincial Librarian.

"We are very pleased that Mr. Groen has accepted this responsibility with the Provincial Library Service," said Minister Shea. "His experience is a valuable contribution to the important role that libraries are playing in Prince Edward Island communities. PEI libraries have responded to changing needs of communities and have benefited from significant increases in use over the past five years."

Mr. Groen had been Director of the Parkland Regional Library System in eastern Saskatchewan for five years before accepting his present appointment. The Parkland system has a structure of community-based rural libraries similar to that of PEI. Mr Groen had also been involved in developing partnerships between different types of libraries and taking advantage of the increasing availability of technology at the community level.

"I am looking forward to working with libraries and communities across Prince Edward Island and other partners such as the Gates Learning Foundation and the Community Access Program as we develop new and better ways to meet the information needs of Islanders," said Mr. Groen, who began his new duties on May 1.

The Provincial Library Service is a section of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs and works in partnership with communities to provide library services in 22 locations across the province.