Libraries start new hours September 5

Garfield County Libraries start new hours September 5, 2017

All Garfield County Libraries will begin a new schedule Tuesday, September 5. This is the second recent change in hours, with the first occurring last December after the Library District learned of a $1.2 million decrease in operating revenue for 2017. The December hour change resulted in a 7% decrease in open hours while staffing was reduced by 25%. Since this cut last year, your libraries have faced continuing staff shortages that have led to temporary day-long emergency closures of several branches.

Your libraries continue to face shrinking revenues, including continued sales tax refunds that have reduced funding by $2.1 million over the last six years and $66,305 in 2017 alone. To provide sustainable service despite these funding shortages, the Library Board of Trustees voted unanimously to reduce open hours at their regularly scheduled meeting on August 3rd. This newest adjustment in open hours is designed to alleviate the staff shortages that have caused eleven emergency closures in the last eight months.

“Given the continued demand for library services in our communities, we do not have the resources to maintain our current schedule. We have managed to stay open due exclusively to the dedication and hard work of library staff, but we’ve reached the limit of what we can do sustainably,” said Executive Director Jesse Henning. “This new schedule will allow your libraries to provide more consistent service without making any changes to staff.”

This schedule change comes as a direct result of data collection over the past eight months, staff input, and public survey comments. A team of staff looked at usage data from each library so the new schedule would best reflect the times the libraries are busiest. While Sunday hours at Rifle and Glenwood Springs were cut, the team preserved hours on Saturday as well as one late night at each location in order to continue to offer availability for members commuting to and from work. The new hours will be more consistent across the District, with the libraries opening at 11 am most days. The new schedule is as follows:

Garfield County Libraries start new hours September 5, 2017

Carbondale and New Castle:

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 11 am to 6 pm

Wednesdays 11 am to 7 pm

Fridays 12 to 5 pm

Saturdays 1 to 5 pm

 

Glenwood Springs and Rifle:

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays 11 am to 6 pm

Wednesdays 11 am to 7 pm

Fridays and Saturdays 11 am to 5 pm

 

Silt and Parachute:

Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays 11 am to 6 pm

Thursdays 11 am to 7 pm

Fridays 12 to 5 pm

Saturdays 1 to 5 pm

The Libraries would like to thank you in advance for your understanding and continuing to support us and our mission to connect our communities to a world of possibilities.

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