Libraries to close on Sundays

Libraries to close on Sundays



From staff
Publication Date: 04/17/08

All St. Johns County libraries will be closed permanently on Sundays, victims of the state budget crunch. Also, libraries will now open later and close earlier, and the Hastings Library will close on Monday, mirroring the hours of the Anastasia Island branch library, which is open Tuesday through Thursday.

All branches will opening at 10 a.m. rather than 9:30 a.m., and close at 8 p.m. rather than 9 p.m.

The new hours are effective on May 5.

"In the current fiscal environment of tax reform and budget cuts, shifting hours is simply the only way for the library to continue offering the high quality of materials, programs and services St. Johns County residents expect from their library," said Library Director Debra Rhodes Gibson.

The Library has lost 11 staff positions during the past year, while opening the Anastasia Branch Library and expanding Bookmobile services, she said.

County Administrator Michael Wanchick said the cuts were inevitable.

"The County Commission successfully cut taxes last year, and property tax reform mandates we continue reducing taxes," he said in a prepared statement. "We are striving to do more with less, but as revenues continue to decline we must modify our delivery of services."

Gibson said many of the Library's resources are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the Library's web site. Patrons may renew materials, place holds, access the Library's collection, get reference assistance through electronic books, use the ask-a-librarian service, access databases and more by visiting the self-service section of the library's web site, www.sjcpls.org.

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