There will be a change in hours of library service at all DC Public Libraries beginning on March 1. Many of you know that the Library lost 71 positions and $2M earlier this year. In spite of best efforts on the part of the District, the financial situation has not permitted the restitution of the positions or the money. In planning for these reductions, the Library administration developed a set of principles to guide their decision-making. The following principles were followed:
- Be open during the hours most useful to District residents – (libraries remain open 7 days a week)
- When a neighborhood library is open, provide services for children and adults. – (past DCPL practice was to close children’s rooms)
- Maintain consistency in hours at neighborhood libraries as much as possible – (to make the changes easier to communicate)
New hours of service:
Branch (and Interim) Libraries will be reduced by 7 hours per week by opening at Noon and closing at 8:00 pm on days they open at night. These libraries will maintain their regular hours on all other days, including Sundays (year round).
The Main Library downtown will be reduced by 7 hours per week by closing at 5:30 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. They will continue to be open 9:30 am – 9:00 pm Mondays and Tuesdays and 9:30 am – 5:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. They will also continue to be open from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Sundays from Labor Day through Memorial Day.
The 3 remaining Kiosk libraries will be reduced by 8 hours per week by closing on Fridays. The will remain open Mondays through Thursdays from 9:30 am – 5:30 pm.