Montgomery County officials on Tuesday detailed how an $800,000 boost in this year’s libraries budget would mean expanded hours for local branches starting on Oct. 5.
Bethesda Library will keep the same hours it’s had since September 2012, when Monday-Thursday hours were extended from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. to 9 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday hours were expanded by one hour.
Chevy Chase Library (8005 Connecticut Ave.) will open three hours earlier on Mondays, at 10 a.m. instead of 1 p.m.
Little Falls Library (5501 Massachusetts Ave.) will open three hours earlier on Tuesdays, at 10 a.m. instead of 1 p.m.
Davis Library (6400 Democracy Blvd.) will open three hours earlier on Mondays and Tuesdays, at 10 a.m. instead of 1 p.m.
None of the three libraries will get Sunday hours. Four county library branches (Aspen Hill, White Oak, Quince Orchard and Damascus) will get 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday hours added.
From 2008-2011, spending on the county library system dropped by more than a quarter, from $40 million to $29 million, as Montgomery County grappled with the recession.
To support the expanded hours, 39 merit positions plus more substitute staff were added to the budget, bringing MCPL staffing to its highest level since 2009-2010. The materials budget is also at the highest level since 2009-2010 thanks to a budget increase of $500,000.
Check out the map of expanded library hours and added Sunday hours by branch.
Image via Montgomery County
