Book lovers will now have more opportunities to browse Barrow’s library selections.
The Winder library will now be open an additional 17 hours a week, Auburn’s library will be open nine additional hours and visitors to Statham’s library will have an extra seven hours to visit the library each week.
Piedmont Regional Library System director Alan Harkness said the extra hours will allow Barrow residents better access to their facilities and resources.
Harkness thanked the cities of Winder, Auburn and Statham and the Barrow County Board of Education for providing the additional funding necessary to extend operating hours.
The financial support is a testament to the partnership in education that exists between the library system and local governments, Harkness said.
Five of the six funding agencies in Barrow County have increased their operating support for area libraries in the upcoming fiscal year.
The system has also asked the Barrow County Board of Commissioners to invest one dollar per capita for books and to provide a full time employee to plan and deliver children’s programming at all branch locations.
Barrow's libraries are part of the three-county, eleven-library Piedmont Regional Library System which serves Banks, Barrow and Jackson Counties.
The new operating hours for Barrow’s libraries are:
•Winder - Monday 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday - Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
•Auburn - Monday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
•Statham - Monday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesday-Wednesday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Thursday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
