Mayor Kevin Faulconer joined library officials and students from America’s Finest Charter School in City Heights on Nov. 7 to mark the start of new municipal library hours, the most expansive in a decade.
The new hours affect opening and closing times at the Florence Riford Library Center, at 7555 Draper Ave.
“Today,” Faulconer said, “we’re closing the book on the service cuts our library system has faced over the years. We’re starting a new chapter of opportunity for our city. We’re restoring library hours and putting our vision of One San Diego into action.”
“We are excited to implement the mayor’s new hours,” public library deputy director Bruce Johnson said. “The revised schedule restores the hours that were reduced during earlier budget challenges. We are pleased that we now have the most hours the San Diego Public Library has had in 10 years.”
The mayor’s One San Diego funds pay for an additional 203 hours of library service hours a week citywide, which went into effect Nov. 8. The funding, which was released in April as a part of the city’s 2015, budget also restores core branch library hours to 48 hours per week for the first time since 2003 and expands library services on weekends. Every branch library in San Diego will add four service hours Mondays through Saturdays. In addition, 12 select branches will extend hours on Saturdays and Sundays. The San Diego Central Library will add five hours per week.