Library to stay open later

Council has responded to calls for the Library to remain open later in the afternoon by revising the facility's operating hours.

In June Council voted to reduce the Library's operating hours from 52 to 42, with the facility closing at 4pm on several days as part of the change.

However staff have since readjusted operating hours and staff rosters to allow the Library to be open until 6pm on most days, whilst still maintaining the weekly limit of 42 hours.

The new hours, which will come into effect on October 8, will see the Library open from 10am-6pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-5pm on Fridays, and 10am-1pm on Saturdays.

Meanwhile the Outback Archives will switch to afternoon operating hours, and open 1pm-5pm Monday to Friday.

Council's General Manager, James Roncon, said the change showed that Council and its staff were listening to the feedback of Library users.

"Our staff told us they had received feedback about the Library closing at 4pm, and also that they were seeing increased usage in the afternoons since the recent installation of extra computers," he said.

"To their credit, they went away and came back with a new set of hours that sit within the 42 hours as adopted by Council, and will meet requests from users for the Library to be open later.

"The trade-off is that the Library will open at 10am, but that will give our Library staff time in the morning to set up for programs and undertake important work away from the front counter."

The current limit of 42 hours per week is set to be reviewed in February 2019.

New Library hours:

Monday-Thursday: 10am-6pm

Friday: 10am-5pm

Saturday: 10am-1pm

New Outback Archive hours:

Monday-Friday 1pm-5pm

(Archives open by appointment 10am-12pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays)