Regina friends lose bid to block closures.(Updates)

A Court of Queen's Bench judge in Regina, Saskatchewan, ruled in mid-February that there was insufficient evidence to show that the public library board acted improperly in its December 2003 decision to close three branches, the Dunlop Art Gallery, and the Prairie History Room because of a $1-million operations deficit, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported February 18. The Friends of the Regina Public Library had applied for an injunction to stop the plan, arguing that the board should have held public hearings first (AL, Feb., p. 17-18).

The group has appealed the judge's decision, according to a February 27 CBC release.

After …