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Library expanding hours
Published 11:14am Tuesday, August 2, 2011Starting Aug. 15, morning Fergus Falls Public Library patrons will once again get an extra 30 minutes in the morning and at night.
Fergus Falls Library Director Erin Smith announced the change during Monday’s City Council meeting. The library hours will be increased to 57 per week after being at 52 since April 1, 2010. The new hours will mean the library will open 30 minutes earlier, and close 30 minutes later.
The library was able to add hours, Smith said, partly because anticipated cuts in state aid did not come to fruition. The part-time staff time needed to accommodate the extra hours was budgeted at $5,778 in 2009. Smith said there also was some savings in utility bills.
“Essentially things weren’t as dire as we were really preparing for,” Smith said.
Smith also said she did not anticipate having to increase part-time staff to accommodate the extra hours. “We feel we can maintain the extra hours with current part-time levels and not affect the staff and patron experience,” she said.
The library hours as of Aug. 15 are as follows.
• Monday through Thursday — 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday — 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Saturday — 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Sunday — Closed
Tags: city council, Fergus Falls Public Library
Great idea!