Officials gathered in Summerside today along with parents, teachers and students to officially open and name the newest branch of the Provincial Library Service – the Bibliothéque J.-Henri-Blanchard – located at the Centre Belle-Alliance in Summerside.
The Honourable Elmer MacFadyen, Minister of Community and Cultural Affairs; Mr. Joe McGuire, Member of Parliament for Egmont, representing the Honourable Sheila Copps, Minister of Canadian Heritage; the Honourable Chester Gillan, Minister of Education, and La Belle-Alliance participated in the official ceremony.
"As minister responsible for the provincial library service, it is my pleasure to be here for the official opening and naming of our newest library branch," said Minister MacFadyen. "Our public libraries play a vital role in communities across the province and have proven to be one of the most successful government services available. I am confident that this new French language branch will play a vital role in maintaining and developing the French and Acadian cultures in PEI. As well, I am very pleased that the library has been named to honour one of the Island's foremost Acadian scholars."
"The Government of Canada is committed to the development of minority
official language communities all across Canada," said Mr. McGuire. "This library will ensure the vitality of the Acadian and Francophone community in Summerside as well as contribute to the enhancement of services offered in French, particularly to the youth attending the École-sur-mer school," says Mr. McGuire. "It is most fitting that the library has been named after one of this province's pioneers in the recognition of rights for the Acadian and Francophone community."
J.-Henri Blanchard was born in Rustico in 1881. He attended Prince of Wales College where he received his teaching diploma in 1898. Blanchard taught at various Acadian centres around PEI until 1907, when he entered Saint Dunstan's University; he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911. Blanchard started teaching at the university in 1910, one year before actually receiving his degree. He remained at the university until his retirement in 1948. Blanchard wrote about the Acadians in Prince Edward Island and was widely published in both academic journals and mainstream media. Despite his death in 1968, Blanchard is remembered for his support of Acadian culture in the province, especially for taking a leadership role in advancing the Acadian community in PEI.
With the opening of the library, people who speak French as their first language will be able to access resources for information, education and entertainment in the language they are most comfortable with. This helps reinforce and maintain French language and literacy skills as well as the French and Acadian cultures in PEI. This library is also a valuable resource to Anglophones and French immersion students who are interested in gaining exposure to the French and Acadian cultures and in strengthening and developing French language skills.
The J.-Henri-Blanchard Library opened for use in May 2002 along with the Centre Belle-Alliance and the École-sur-mer. The new facility serves French-language readers in the community as well as the school. It incorporates a variety of features and resources including books, videos, CDs and public internet access. Since opening, the library has been very busy with more than 4,000 items circulated.