Seattle Public Libraries set new hours
Fri, 01/08/2010
On Nov. 23, 2009, the City Council added $860,000 to The Seattle Public Library's 2010 budget to restore some branch hours. The additional money means the Library can provide seven-day-a-week service at 11 branches and the Central Library in 2010.
Effective Feb. 3, these branches will operate 60 hours a week:
Beacon Hill Branch
Southwest Branch
West Seattle Branch
Hours will be:
10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Saturday
1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Hours at the Central Library will not change.
These local branches will operate five days a week for 35 hours:
Delridge Branch
High Point Branch
South Park Branch
Hours will be:
1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, Tuesday
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday
CLOSED FRIDAY
11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday
CLOSED SUNDAY
On Sept. 25, 2009, then-Mayor Greg Nickels announced his proposed 2010 budget, which included cuts to address a projected $72 million revenue shortfall in the city's 2009 - 2010 biennial budget. The Library was asked to identify approximately 5 percent in cuts - about $2.6 million.
While the restoration of some funds is good news, the Library's 2010 budget still was cut by $1.77 million. That means the Library still needs to close the entire system for one week in 2010 and sustain more than $500,000 in cuts taken in 2009. All locations of the Library will close Monday, Aug. 30 through Sunday, Sept. 5. Libraries will be closed Monday, Sept. 6 for Labor Day and will reopen Tuesday, Sept. 7.
The Library also is taking a 37 percent reduction in the 2010 capital budget.
The Library Board approved the Library's 2010 Operation Plan Wednesday, Dec. 16.