Extended hours will be coming to 11 branches across the Denver Public Library system starting on Monday, Nov. 13.
DPL announced that the Bear Valley, Decker, Eugene Field, Montbello, Park Hill, Ross-Broadway, Smiley, Woodbury, University Hills, and Westwood branches will all be open on Mondays starting next week. The Ross-Cherry Creek Branch Library will be reopening to the public on Monday with the same extended schedule.
While the John "Thunderbird Man" Emhoola Jr. Branch Library isn't receiving extra hours, the branch's schedule will shift to a Monday to Friday timeframe.
With the additional day and extended hours, the branches will again offer the Plaza program during evenings. The program gives immigrants and refugees access to resources and assistance in navigating the city. It also provides newcomers with a community of their peers.
The Denver Public Library Fund is supporting the hour extension through "Strong Library Strong Denver," a fund that was established via Ballot Measure 2I in November 2022. 2I increased property taxes, with that extra money going toward DPL operations, from building maintenance and improvements to hiring more staff, increasing hours and community services.
DPL expects the increased tax will boost funding by over $32 million.
DPL began increasing hours at library branches in July, starting with the Green Valley Ranch, Sam Gary, Rodolfo "Corky" Gonzales, Hadley, and Hampden branches.
They've also started renovating branch locations. The Athmar Park Branch and the Pauline Robinson Branch in Northeast Park Hill are both currently closed due to their makeovers. DPL said there's no set reopening date for the two branches, but estimated that the renovations could take about a year.
So far, DPL has completed renovations for the Smiley and John "Thunderbird Man" Emhoolah, Jr. branches, as well as the newly reopened Blair-Caldwell African American Research Library in Five Points.
Work is also currently underway at Central Branch, and future renovations are planned for the Ross-Barnum Branch Library and the Schlessman Family Branch Library.
Correction: This story has been updated to note that the Plaza program has been active but not in the evenings.
