Library on Quebec-Vermont border gets new entrance after U.S. limited access for Canadians

The library in Stanstead, Que. that straddles the Canada-U.S. border now has a new door so Canadians can get in after the Trump administration limited access.

The century-old library in Stanstead, Que. that straddles the Canada-U.S. border now has a new door so Canadians can get in after the U.S. limited entry to the building last year.

For decades, people in Stanstead were allowed to walk around the Haskell Free Library and Opera House, but last year the U.S. limited access. Instead of walking a few metres, you’d have to drive down the street and go through a border crossing just to get in the front door.

“Most of the Americans that we see coming from far, they’re apologetic. They want to say they’re sorry, they want to help. And sometimes you’ll see a lot of anger from Canadians,” said head librarian Gabriel Leduc.

• READ MORE: Quebec mayor, library denounce Noem calling Canada ’51st state’ during border visit

As it stands now, for a Canadian to get into the library, they first have to go through a door, go up three flights of stairs through the opera house, which is actually on top of the library, then go down three more flights of stairs and through the office before they actually get to the library and the books.

“You’ve got a lot of people with reduced mobility or just aging. So for a lot of people, that has been hard. There have been a lot of people who have not come since we closed that exit,” Leduc said.

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The newly installed door takes Canadians directly into the library.

The library is a heritage building, so plans for the new entrance were in the hands of the Quebec government.

“We didn’t have much to say about it except paying, which is close to $600,000,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the Haskell Library board of trustees.

The library had to fundraise to secure the money because there are no provincial grants available.

The library has been a flashpoint for political tensions between the two countries.

“Yes, it’s negative, but we turned it into something positive and something that unites,” Boudreau said.

The official ribbon-cutting is expected in June. The library hopes the community on both sides of the border comes to the opening.

Related stories:

• Trump ends Canada access at shared border library
• U.S. authorities closing Canadian access to historic library that straddles Quebec-Vermont border
• Quebec mayor, library denounce Noem calling Canada ’51st state’ during border visit
• Best-selling Quebec author cancels U.S. trip, donates to library on Canada-U.S. border