Despite protests from local residents, the Fraser-Hickson Library in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is officially closing Wednesday because of funding problems.

Library officials said they want to put the Kensington Avenue building up for sale and possibly relocate to a smaller facility.

There's hope the closure will spur prospective supporters to come forward, said the library board's vice-president, Nicholas Hoare.

"We are freezing, and when we thaw, we may have a few tricks up our sleeves," he told CBC.

"We do have a very viable and exciting set of proposals and a number of levels. Do we develop the property and stay there as a library? Do we move to sympathetic admirers in the neighbourhood? Do we sell out to an entrepreneur? [We have] all sorts of options," he said Tuesday. 

Library members such as Eva Bear were sentimental about the closure. 

"I've been here for a long, long time," said the NDG resident, who has used the library for half a century. "It's like a little bit of a funeral. it's pretty sad."

The NDG-Côte-des-Neiges borough has pledged to come up with an alternative plan for library services in the region by June 2007, said borough Mayor Michael Applebaum.