Education
City libraries to stay open until ten every weekday
The Meridian Daily ·
Tuesday, 22 September 2026 ·
Page 1
All eleven public libraries in Harbour City will open until ten in the evening from Monday to Friday, after a trial at the central library proved popular with students and shift workers.
The longer hours are paid for by moving some library services online and by a grant from a local foundation. Staff numbers will rise by fourteen.
At the central library, evening visits rose by sixty per cent during the trial. "People come after work to study, to read the papers or just to sit somewhere warm and quiet," said chief librarian Ruth Haldane.
The council will publish the full report on its website this week, and residents can send questions to their local councillor before the next public meeting.
Neighbourhood groups said they would follow the plans closely. "We support the idea, but the details matter," said one resident who has lived in the area for thirty years. "We want to be asked, not just told."
Officials will present the details at a public meeting at the City Hall next Tuesday evening, and residents can comment online for six weeks afterwards.
A full timetable, maps of every phase and answers to the most common questions are available at the city information centre on Harbour Square.
The longer hours are paid for by moving some library services online and by a grant from a local foundation. Staff numbers will rise by fourteen.
At the central library, evening visits rose by sixty per cent during the trial. "People come after work to study, to read the papers or just to sit somewhere warm and quiet," said chief librarian Ruth Haldane.
The council will publish the full report on its website this week, and residents can send questions to their local councillor before the next public meeting.
Neighbourhood groups said they would follow the plans closely. "We support the idea, but the details matter," said one resident who has lived in the area for thirty years. "We want to be asked, not just told."
Officials will present the details at a public meeting at the City Hall next Tuesday evening, and residents can comment online for six weeks afterwards.
A full timetable, maps of every phase and answers to the most common questions are available at the city information centre on Harbour Square.
