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D.C., Chicago Public Libraries Add HoursPublic libraries in Washington, D.C., and Chicago are extending hours of operation, thanks to additional FY2007 funding.The District of Columbia Public Library opened its central Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and all 17 full-service neighborhood branches on Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. starting October 15. “Whether it’s families or individual residents, we’re going to be attracting groups of people who wouldn’t normally have time to come to the library during the week,” said DCPL Chief Librarian Ginnie Cooper in a press release. “This is going to enable us to serve many, many more people who have information needs but perhaps did not have time to get their needs met.” The city’s FY2007 budget included $790,000 for staffing costs to provide Sunday hours, as well as $210,000 for materials and supplies. DCPL also eliminated the age and handwriting requirements for children to obtain a library card. In addition, it recently began offering wireless access at all of its libraries, including four bookmobiles that are temporarily providing services to neighborhoods whose branches have been closed since December 2004 for remodeling. Citing a significant increase in downtown population, Chicago Public Library will keep its downtown Harold Washington Library open an extra two hours, until 9 p.m., Mondays through Thursdays in 2007, the Chicago Sun-Times reported October 16. The annual cost for the extra hours is anticipated at $188,000. “We’re seeing larger and larger crowds coming for our evening author events,” said Library Commissioner Mary Dempsey. “Many events end at 8 p.m. People who might want to stay a while and use the library longer can’t because the building is closed. Now, they’ll be able to go into the library and check out more books.” Posted October 27, 2006. |
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