Community Corner
Libraries Expanding Hours In Contra Costa
County libraries will be open for another 121 hours each week.
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA — Contra Costa County's library system will expand hours in 17 community libraries, beginning Thursday.
Base hours funded by the county will go from 35 to 40 at each library, and nine county branches are increasing hours thanks to community partners.
It all adds up to an additional 121 more hours of county libraries being open each week, which is 16.5 more than before the pandemic.
Find out what's happening in Danvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
"It is wonderful that so many cities and towns in the county see the immense value library services provide to our communities," said Diane Burgis, chair of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, in a statement. "Prioritizing an increase to library hours means more access to important services and resources for everyone."
The new schedules help address a goal of the library's strategic plan: delivering a consistent, high-quality, and inviting experience at all points of contact.
Find out what's happening in Danvillefor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Following the Fourth of July holiday, three county branches will open for the first time in 15 months. The Pinole branch, which was serving as a COVID-19 test site, will reopen July 6. The Rodeo branch will also reopen July 6, with the Crockett branch opening July 7.
COVID-19 testing has also halted at the Ygnacio Valley branch in Walnut Creek, with a full reopening slated sometime this fall. During the pandemic, more than 70 county library staff members helped out in disaster service roles. "We are very proud of the work we provided but are more excited to have all 26 of our libraries open to the public very soon," Contra Costa County Librarian Alison McKee said, in a statement.
For a complete list of library locations and hours and more, visit ccclib.org to sign up for a library card and get connected to books and resources. For questions about library services and programming, email ask@library.cccounty.us or text questions to (925) 290-7627.
— By Tony Hicks, Bay City News Foundation
Copyright © 2021 Bay City News, Inc. All rights reserved. Republication, rebroadcast or redistribution without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited. Bay City News is a 24/7 news service covering the greater Bay Area.