Judy Seckler
THORNYCROFT -- For Glendale Central Library staff, the phrase "never
on a Sunday" has been dropped from the repertoire.
More than 100 happy patrons lined up for the library's new Sunday
hours by 12:35 p.m. Sept. 10 at the front entrance, said Laurel Patric,
director of library services.
The first 100 patrons received a plastic gift bag filled with pencils,
library schedule information, an official "Now Open Sundays" button and
Friends of the Library material. The bags were gone in the first 35
minutes after the library opened for the day, Patric said.
In 1993, library hours citywide were trimmed from 235 to 188 due to
budget cuts caused by the recession. At that time, branch libraries went
from a six- to a five-day-a-week schedule.
Brand Library had offered Sunday service in the late 1970s. The hours were discontinued after the passage of Proposition 13 cut city revenues.
A Jan. 29, 2000 News-Press editorial stated: "This year is the time
for Glendale to catch up with all our surrounding communities and find
the money to reopen our libraries on Sunday. There is no longer a fiscal
excuse not to, and the need is certainly going to increase rapidly."
City council responded to the call during "last year's budget
process," Patric said. The central library was notified in June of the
allotment in funding.
The new schedule rates high with librarian Mary Norris, who's been
with the library four years.
"It's wonderful that so many who work late or go to school can come by
all weekend," she said.
Most visitors had no complaints about the new hours. Laurel Myers, 11,
a Pasadena Christian School student, was accompanied by her brother,
Zachery, 6, and dad, Bill. Laurel had a report to work on for school and
found the magazines she needed.
"I needed them today," she said.
Patron Dave Crawford, a retired government worker, was comfortably
stationed at a computer upstairs. Crawford is a member of Friends of the
Library, a support organization. He has a leaf in the front wall display
for his contribution over six years of $1,000. He also donates $20 a
month to the library. He said his Sundays will be spent doing research
for fun on the computer and reading back issues of the L.A. Times online.
Glendale resident Jason Cummings, 25, was at the library on Wednesday
and saw a sign posted with the new hours.
"It's definitely good," Cummings, a researcher, said.
"I used to sit around on Sundays because I couldn't do my research."
IF YOU GO:
WHERE: Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St.
HOURS: * Sunday -- 1 to 5 p.m.
* Monday - Thursday -- 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
* Friday and Saturday -- 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
