Education
City libraries to stay open until ten every weekday
North Coast Edition ·
Wednesday, 14 October 2026 ·
Page 2
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."
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."
