Rachel Reid gives $300,000 to support Annapolis Valley libraries
The Nova Scotia author hopes her contribution will help preserve vital community spaces while drawing attention to the need for dependable public funding.
Five rural library branches in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley have received a major boost from author Rachel Reid, who donated $300,000 to the Annapolis Valley Regional Library.
Reid stepped forward after learning that branches in Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Port Williams and Middleton were facing permanent closure.
“I had to do it because I don't know what the point is of being a successful author in Nova Scotia if you're not going to use it for good,” Reid told CBC News.
The gift is among the most significant private donations in the regional library’s history. It offers welcome support as the organization works to maintain services across the region.
“This is an incredibly generous gift, and we are profoundly grateful to Rachel for choosing to invest in libraries, the Annapolis Valley, and the people our libraries serve,” library CEO Julia Merritt said in a news release.
“Her support will make a meaningful difference and help us continue creating opportunities for people across the region to read, learn and connect.”
A timely contribution
The library board had previously requested $351,000 in additional municipal funding to keep the five branches operating through the end of the 2026-27 fiscal year. Municipalities committed about one-third of that amount, leaving a shortfall of more than $200,000.
To give the branches more time, the library approved the use of $80,000—half of its reserve funds—to keep them open until Sept. 30.
Plans for Reid’s donation will be shared once the library determines how the money can be used most effectively.
Libraries helped shape Reid’s life and career
Reid, known for the popular Heated Rivalry series, described libraries as “absolutely an essential service that needs to be properly funded.”
Her connection to libraries began during her childhood in Bedford, N.S., where she was an enthusiastic and frequent visitor.
“When I was a kid, I grew up in Bedford, N.S., and I was at that Bedford library all the time taking out as many books as they'd let me at a time and burning through them,” she said.
Those visits helped nurture the imagination and love of reading that eventually led Reid to become an author. Libraries also remained important to her as an adult, introducing her to romance novels and providing a welcoming place for her family.
“They had so many great programs. It was great for my kids when they were younger. I just think they are such an important service to communities that goes way beyond free books and access to different magazines and things like that. I don't think I'd be an author without my local library,” she said.
Building awareness and a stronger future
Although the donation brings hope and immediate assistance, both Reid and the library emphasized that private generosity cannot take the place of stable public funding.
The library said the contribution does not replace “the critical need for an increase in the stable annual public funding and strong municipal and provincial partnerships needed to sustain library services over the time term.”
Reid hopes her gift will encourage greater awareness of the financial pressures facing public libraries and inspire lasting solutions.
“I want to do what I can to help, but I also think private donations can't replace government policy which is where this funding should be coming from but I also feel like if you are able to help you should so that's why I'm doing it.”
The Annapolis Valley Regional Library remains committed to working with governments so communities throughout the region can continue enjoying strong and vibrant public libraries.
Reid is also expected to take part in a special ticketed event celebrating libraries, reading and community, with further details to be announced by the library.
