Reduced hours at Main Library due to construction, budget cuts

The Broward County Main Library hours of operation changed today, Monday, November 1. The reduced operating schedule is the result of both significant construction projects as well as staff reductions due to budget-related measures. The change does not impact hours of operation at other Broward County branch or regional libraries.

The Main Library is located at 100 S. Andrews Avenue in downtown Fort Lauderdale. The new hours of operation effective November 1, 2010, will be:

• Monday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tuesday and Wednesday: Noon – 8 p.m.
• Thursday and Friday: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Saturday: Closed (new)
• Sunday: Closed

During the past year, the Main Library, first constructed in 1984, has been undergoing a series of renovations to maintain building integrity, including replacement of elevators, roof, wall and ceiling tiles, and air conditioning equipment. In addition, several areas of the eight-story facility, including the computer labs, are being remodeled to accommodate new technology and meet the changing needs of residents.

A one-year project to replace all the facility’s exterior windows and doors with hurricane impact glass, funded by a federal grant, is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2011. Currently, the escalators are being replaced. While the library will remain open during construction, the area surrounding the library will change with the presence of construction vehicles and cranes, and the construction of protective walkways. Customer access to the building will vary throughout the year.

Customers will also notice changes inside the building as furniture, shelving, and carpet that must be removed from certain areas and temporary walls will be erected to protect customers and library materials from exposure to the construction.

Saturday Library Alternatives

Although the Main Library will no longer be open on Saturday, there are several libraries in the area that are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturdays, including:

• African-American Research Library and Cultural Center
2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33311
Telephone:

• Riverland Branch Library
2710 W. Davie Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Telephone:

• Galt Ocean Mile Library
3403 Galt Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Telephone:

• Imperial Point Branch Library
5985 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
Telephone:

• Dania Beach Branch Library
255 E. Dania Beach Blvd., Dania Beach, FL 33004
Telephone:

In addition, once the first floor computer lab renovation is complete, scheduled for January 2011, it will be opened for extended hours beyond that of the Main Library.

The award-winning Charcuterie Too! Restaurant, located on the library’s second floor, will remain open during construction, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Their menu will feature daily construction specials.

Once these projects are completed in 2012, it is expected that the Main Library will return to its previous hours of operation.

For additional information about Broward County Libraries, visit www.broward.org/library. This site shows all library locations and hours of service, provides online reference and tutoring services, catalogs, digital collections, as well as downloadable e-books. Books and materials can be accessed through the catalog, placed on hold and made available for pick-up at any Broward County Library location. Selected books and other materials can also be renewed online through the library’s Web site.

Library customers who wish to receive electronic updates on the status of the construction project and changes to operations or facility access, can e-mail or call to sign up for E-Spotlights featuring information about the progression of these projects.

Related posts:

1. Broward park hours changing due to budget cuts
2. Art exhibit at Broward Main Library focuses on art as a business
3. Free SAT and ACT Intensive Workshops at Main Library for College-Bound Students
4. Arts supporters protest school budget cuts in Downtown Fort Lauderdale; video
5. 2009 – A Record-Breaking Year for Broward County Library

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