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The Rutherford County Library's three branches will have new hours beginning Sept. 6.
"We did our strategic plan last year, which included surveying library users from across the county. One of the objections we heard more than a few times was that the library's hours are not convenient to today's lifestyles," said April Young, library director.
Young first approached County Manager Steve Garrison to see how the library might answer patrons' requests for more evening hours.
"He asked that we look at our circulation and see when we have the most foot traffic," Young said.
Once the data was compiled, the library presented a proposal to county commissioners to shift hours at each branch location in order to accommodate an evening into their schedules. Commissioners approved the new hours at their July meeting.
"Each branch will be open later a different night," Young continued. "We wanted to give an opportunity for those in the county to go somewhere to get materials when they needed them."
The Haynes Branch in Henrietta, she said, will be open later on Friday evenings, in part, due to a new teen group that is meeting there. Mountains Branch in Lake Lure will be open later on Tuesdays, and the library's Main Branch in Spindale on Thursdays.
"We have already had patrons at each branch to thank us," Young said. "Now that we have some evening hours available, we'll be able to offer extra programming we haven't been able to do before."
Thursday evenings will allow for more activities in the Main Branch's DBU (Dream It, Build It, Use It) Makerspace.
"The second Thursday night of each month will be a Family Maker Night," said Kenneth Odom, IT specialist. "We will have a planned program with supplies and materials as well as the instructions to build or make something."
The first Family Maker Thursday will be Sept. 8 and soda can robot. Those who would like to take part should contact the library to register. The program is free.
"We'll also have presentations for adults at least once a month," Young added. "We're trying to hit all groups of the population, and our goal is to offer things so that families can all be in the same building but not necessarily at the same program."
The library's book sale will also benefit from the evening hours. The late summer book sale is scheduled to begin the first Thursday evening the Main Branch has later hours on September 8.
New hours for each branch of the Rutherford County Library, beginning September 6, are as follows:
Rutherford County Library- Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 9:30am to 5:30pm; Thursday, 11:30am to 8pm; and Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
Haynes Branch- Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9am to 5pm; Wednesday, 9am to 2pm; Friday, noon to 8pm; and Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
Mountains Branch- Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 5pm; Tuesday, noon to 8pm; Wednesday, 9am to 2pm; and Saturday, 10am to 3pm.
