The Petersburg Public Library on June 6, 2025. (Taylor Heckart/KFSK)

The Petersburg Public Library is closing four hours earlier on Mondays. As of the start of July, the library now closes at 4 p.m. instead of 8 p.m.

Library funding comes from the borough, which is working with a tight budget this year. Library Director Tara Alcock said budget concerns prompted the reduced hours. 

There was a lot of unknowns with funding for the borough from various federal sources,” said Alcock. “So the borough manager requested that departments reduce spending.”

Because most of the library’s budget is spent on paying its staff, the library had to cut some staff operating hours. Alcock said a staff member volunteered to reduce their hours, allowing the library to close earlier.

Alcock said they reduced evening hours because that’s typically when the library is less busy. 

“We are open a fair amount [of] hours per week for libraries of our size and communities of our size with staffs like we have,” said Alcock. “So it seemed like the best option with the least amount of impact.”

She said that groups who use the community rooms on Monday nights will be impacted by the change. Otherwise, any library programming during that time can be shifted to other days.

This isn’t the first time that the library has had to reduce their hours. Alcock said they’ve done so in the past to navigate staffing shortages.

The library is supported by the borough’s general fund, which means it’s supported by local tax dollars. Alcock said changing operating hours is “something we can work with,” but noted there’s always a chance that future funding uncertainty could impact the library.

Libraries are like canaries in the coal mine in some ways with municipal budgets,” she said. “If there’s funding problems with municipalities … libraries will be the first to kind of feel the cuts.”

While other weekday operating hours at the library remain the same, Monday’s  newly reduced hours will continue for the foreseeable future. Alcock said she appreciates the support and flexibility from the community while they adjust to the change.

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