The U.S. Tried to Shut Canadians Out of This Library—It Backfired
- Ginger North
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
When the U.S. Gov tried to block Canadians from accessing their library, Canadians, Americans and international donors fought back
The U.S. government may be tightening its grip on the border, but the people on both sides aren’t letting it divide them. Instead, they’re rallying behind a landmark that has stood as a symbol of unity for over a century—the Haskell Free Library and Opera House.
In just days, donations from Canadians, Americans, and international supporters have poured in to counteract an unjust and unnecessary border crackdown. Their message is loud and clear: bureaucracy won’t break the bonds that history built.
A Library That Transcends Borders
For over 120 years, the Haskell Free Library and Opera House has been more than just a building—it’s been a living testament to cross-border cooperation. Strategically constructed in Rock Island, Quebec, and Derby Line, Vermont, this Queen Anne Revival-style building was designed so that Canadians and Americans could access knowledge and the arts equally.
Founded by Martha Stewart Haskell and her son, Horace "Stewart" Haskell, the library was later gifted to the towns of Derby Line and Rock Island. Today, it’s managed by an international board of seven directors—four American, three Canadian—who have maintained its mission of unity and cultural exchange.
A bold black line slashes across the library’s floor, marking the official border. For years, Canadians could enter the library without a passport, simply walking along a sidewalk to the main entrance. That changed in March 2025, when the U.S. unilaterally cut off Canadian access to the building, forcing visitors to go through a border checkpoint.
A Petty Stunt with Real Consequences
On January 30, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem stood inside the library, balancing on one side of the border line. “U.S.A. No. 1,” she declared. Then she stepped onto the Canadian side and smirked, “The 51st state.” She repeated the action three times in total.
It was childish, it was insulting, and now, in hindsight, it feels like a warning shot.
Not long after, the U.S. Border Patrol announced sweeping restrictions: only library members can enter without going through a port of entry—until September. After that, even cardholders will have to report to the border first, with limited exceptions for emergency services and school visits.
The message? If Canadians want to set foot in a library that has always belonged to them, they’ll need to act like visitors in their own community.
A Fight for Access—and Dignity
The people of Stanstead, Quebec, and the Haskell Free Library refused to let bureaucratic red tape erase more than a century of history. Rather than accept restrictions that would gut the library’s role as a shared space, they launched a GoFundMe campaign to build a Canadian entrance.
Their goal: $100,000 for an accessible entrance, a parking lot with reduced mobility spots, and a ramp to ensure everyone—especially those with disabilities—can enter the building freely.
The response? Unprecedented.
In just six days, GoFundMe donations ranging from $20 to $5,000 flooded in, raising over $160,000 as of March 26. And that’s not counting direct contributions via cheque and PayPal, including a staggering $50,000 from beloved Canadian novelist Louise Penny.
“It’s been overwhelming,” said Sylvie Boudreau, president of the library’s board of trustees, in an interview with CTV. “So many visitors are coming, giving money and writing cheques. People are supporting our mission.”
More Than a Building—A Defiant Act of Unity
This isn’t just about a library. It’s about standing up to arbitrary divisions. It’s about keeping history alive. It’s about refusing to let borders separate communities that have coexisted for generations.
The U.S. may have closed the door, but people on both sides of the line, and from all corners of the two countries, are building a new one. Together.
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