By Naomi Tsuang
Staff Writer
The Manhattan Beach Library began having Sunday hours on Aug. 30 after Manhattan Beach residents requested that the MB City Council implement Sunday hours.
On June 16 the MB Library Commission and the MB City Council decided to open the library on Sundays from 1 p.m.-5p.m., starting on Aug. 30.
“We expect increased use of the library,” MB Parks and Recreation Director and Library Commission Liaison Mark Leyman said. “Sunday is anticipated to be one of the highest usage days.”
Although Los Angeles County pays for the MB Library’s Monday-Saturday operation, the city of Manhattan Beach will have to pay $76,000 annually to open and operate the library on Sundays. The MB City Council approved approximately $60,000 for funding the library on Sundays.
“[The new Sundays hours] will be able to offer its benefits and services to a broader range of community members on the days that suit their lifestyle and needs,” MB Library Community Manager Yolande Wilburn said.
The Los Angeles County handles the MB library’s staffing. According to Barbara Custen, the Assistant Director of Public Services at the County of Los Angeles Public Library they are currently staffing the MB Library’s Sunday hours. The MB Library is also accepting teen volunteers to operate the library in exchange for community service hours.
“Sunday hours systemwide are covered by Library employees who volunteer to work Sunday at time and a half wages,” Custen said.
According to Custen, many people have high hopes for the new Sunday hours. Custen said that when the library was only open six days a week, students complained about not having enough time to study for tests or do homework in a nice quiet environment. However, Custen said that students of all ages are now able to use the library’s facilities every day of the week to get any needed work done.
“The library provides a comfortable and safe place to study in a group or alone while credentialed professional librarians and paraprofessionals are available to help students find the information they need,” Custen said.
To kick off the Sunday hours, hor d’oeurves, art activites and refreshments were available in the upper quad of the Manhattan Beach Library on Aug. 30 from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Bilingual pop artist, Twinkle Time, also performed at 2 p.m. on the library patio.
“The library is a place where the community can come together and share ideas to learn from each other,” Wilburn said. “Opening on Sundays will help to solidify the library’s importance to the community as it provides the resources and space that people need to direct their learning journey. Having Sunday hours will help more people have access to this amazing community resource.”
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