With a nod to to Charles Dickens, at the Monterey Public Library we are once again celebrating wonderful events and opportunities - and preparing for the loss of services that our community has enjoyed for decades.

Today was the last Sunday that the lights and computers were switched on, the books were straightened and shelved, the doors were unlocked and welcoming staff helped hundreds of customers during four open hours.  Seven-day-a-week service has been a tradition at Monterey Public Library for over thirty years, and we very much regret closing this day for our community (an average of 500 visits made per Sunday).

Due to the loss of one-time funding from the City (which kept Sunday hours open last fiscal year), and pending layoffs of three valued library staff members, the Library will be operating with reduced open hours beginning August 1.

Our new schedule will be closed Sundays, open Monday through Wednesday 12 noon to 8 p.m. and open Thursday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.  Storytimes will move to Thursday mornings, and Saturday open hours will be increased from four to eight.  

We hope the added hours on Saturday will help those who can only visit the Library on the weekend.  We know there are many of you - and we especially realized that during the Library's Summer Reading Program that just ended last week.

What a summer it was! Over 11,000 (yes, that's right - over eleven thousand!) books were read by Monterey Public Library's young readers; over 350 children, teens and adults celebrated at a high-spirited beach party for the End of Summer Reading last Wednesday.

And supporting all those young readers are the tireless Friends of the Monterey Public Library, who were out in full-force at this past weekend's Author's Event at the Barnyard to help raise money for the Monterey, Carmel, Pacific Grove and County libraries.  There were over 40 authors, colorful books, warm personalities and local celebrities in attendance - along with hundreds of booklovers.  

Their efforts have already raised hundreds and hundreds of dollars this month - at the City's 4th of July Lawn Party, monthly book sale, through a Borders Express benefit shopping weekend - and all the proceeds go to buy more books and materials.  Three cheers for our Friends!

So, although it was with sadness that I left the Library at 5 p.m. closing tonight - along with the energetic Sunday staff team - Dina, Inga, Joslyn, Mariann, Elliot, Jodee (look for a blog post from these folks soon), it was also with hope - that we can wait out these difficult times together, keep seeking innovative ways of delivering services to our community, raising funds and revenues - and maybe, someday, opening the doors on Sunday once again.