City of Eugene, OR

31/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/08/2024 03:12

Starting Sept. 1: new open hours

Starting Sept. 1, Eugene Public Library will adjust its open hours schedule. The total number of open hours will remain the same and the library will continue to be open seven days a week. The new schedule will be:

Downtown Library

Monday, Friday, Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: 1-5 p.m.

Bethel and Sheldon Branches

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday: Noon-8 p.m.

Friday, Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sunday: Closed

"Our goal is to best serve our community, including in cost-effectiveness" said Library Director Angela Ocaña. "We've done a comprehensive and pragmatic analysis to determine this new schedule, including many factors. Especially important was collecting and considering data about the days, times and ways that our three locations are most used and relied on." Eugene Public Library has been rated a Star Library seven times in recent years, ranking it in the top 3-5% nationwide for cost-effective operations.

The new schedule allows for more staff coverage to provide direct public service during the busiest open hours. This operational change is needed due to staff size reductions made in the City of Eugene budget process. Library staffing was reduced by 12 part-time positions (total 9.2 FTE) in FY24 and an additional two part-time positions (total 1.5 FTE) in FY25.

No library employees were dismissed in this process. The reductions have been accomplished by not filling positions left open by retirements, promotions and other departures, and reorganizing responsibilities among the remaining staff.

The library will continue to be open a total of 160 hours each week across the library's three locations: Downtown, Bethel and Sheldon. That total was endorsed by Eugene voters in the 2020 library levy (20-309) and remains a legal requirement.

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Related hours changes starting Sept. 1 include:

Downtown outside return slots

Monday-Saturday: 5 a.m.-10 p.m.

Sunday: 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

(There will be no changes to Bethel, Sheldon and Amazon return slot hours.)

Downtown Entry Garden and parking garage

Monday, Friday, Saturday: 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: Noon-5 p.m.

Second Hand Prose Book Store

Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Sunday: 1-4 p.m.

Boujee Cafe

Monday-Saturday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday: Noon-5 p.m.