A beloved library that united the US and Canada faces new border restrictions

For Allyson Howell, her hometown library is more than just a place to borrow a book; it's also a unique space where different cultures from the U.S. and Canada have mingled and developed ties for more than a century. Howell and others fear that could change under a new regulation implemented by President Donald Trump’s administration as tensions continue to rise between the two countries. The Haskell Free Library and Opera House straddles the line between Howell's town of Derby Line, Vermont, and Stanstead, Quebec. The entrance to the imposing Victorian-style brick and stone building is on the U.S. side, but an informal agreement between the two countries has always allowed Canadians to enter without a passport. Canadians cross the border on a sidewalk leading directly to the library which is monitored by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The nearest border checkpoint is not within the eyesight of the building. Inside the library, there is a line on the floor marking the international border, though residents of both countries have been able to move freely among the stacks. But since March 25, the only Canadian visitors able to enter on the U.S. side have been cardholders and library workers. All others have had to use an emergency exit on the Canadian side. Starting October 1, all Canadians will have to enter from their side of the border or pass through a security checkpoint on the U.S. side. It’s a big change from the honor system arrangement the two countries have always used, users of the library said. The new U.S. regulation strikes at the heart of what the library stands for, according to members of communities on both sides of the border. It was built in the early 1900s with a goal of uniting those communities with literacy, art and culture, said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s board of trustees. The library is run by a private board and largely operates on an honor system that binds the two countries, Boudreau said. “We’re all friends, we’re all family. We stick together.” This article was provided by The Associated Press.