Public Employee Press

Part 3 in a series about libraries
A Library Renaissance?

Six-day service
A patron's dream

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

DC 37 is supporting a campaign for an additional $65 million for operating expenses and $1.1 billion for a 10-year capital plan at the city's three public library systems. PEP explores the demand for improved services and capital projects.

Woodside Branch Library used to have sixday service. But those days are gone, a casualty of slashed operating expenses. Two years ago, patrons were so upset about the lack of Saturday service that they filed a petition. But it went nowhere.

Many branch libraries in the city's three public library systems are only open five days a week despite public demand for extra services.

The library was very crowded on Saturdays when we had six-day service until two or three years ago," said Jingru Pei, the branch manager and a member of Queens Public Library Guild 1321.

Under Queens Public Library policy, Woodside is classified as a "principal branch library" and is therefore supposed to provide six-day service. Principal branches must meet three out of the five following criteria a year: a circulation of 250,000 items a year, 160,000 patrons, a 7,500 squarefoot of space, 500 programs per year and an attendance of 10,000 at the programs.

There's no question the three-floor library is a busy place. On a recent afternoon, students and adults sat at every computer station and occupied most of the chairs and tables.

About 20 patrons enjoyed a tai chi class in a community room on the second floor. Area residents were checking out the media racks and shelves of DVDs and books. They lined up at the customer service desk.

"The library is like my second home," said Omaya Saab, who lives a couple of blocks from the library and visits Woodside everyday. It's very inconvenient for her to go to another library farther away because she uses a wheelchair.

"Opening on Saturdays would be a gift to the community," said Saab, who attends craft and crochet classes, as well as yoga classes, which helps her build upper-body strength.

"I don't understand why the library can't be open on Saturdays," she said. "A lot of people who work during the week are unable to take advantage of programs that might
be available Saturdays."

A typical library of the 21st century, Woodside offers patrons activities like English instruction, a chess club, lectures, music, exercise and other classes. But the library isn't able to offer as many activities as it would like because of the lack of six-day service, Pei said.

Dianne Koss, a retired Off-Track Betting Corp. worker and DC 37 retiree, organized the petition for six-day service two years ago. "We could offer a lot more programs if we were open on Saturdays," said Koss, a library volunteer.

"It would be wonderful to have six-day service," said Jean Daly, who teaches first grade at nearby PS 11. "Many of my students can't go to the library during the week. They would be able to come with their parents on Saturdays."