LIBRARIES : New Funds Mean Longer Hours
A decision by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to expand funding for library services will translate to longer hours or extra days for all 22 county libraries in the San Gabriel Valley.
The $22.5-million increase in library funding has brought county library hours up to the level they were at in 1991-92, said Michael McClintock, area manager for the East San Gabriel Valley.
The extra funding will also allow libraries to resume regular book purchases and rehire dozens of library workers laid off during the past two years.
Hours for the smaller libraries, such as Duarte, have gone up to 45 per week, McClintock said, while larger libraries like the West Covina regional headquarters are now up to 64 hours, seven days a week.
The majority, including the Pomona Public Library and Diamond Bar Library, are now open about 54 hours a week. That takes the pressure off cities such as Diamond Bar, which have paid for extra library hours out of their city budgets for more than a year.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
