The library is there to be used by the community

• Jenni Wiggill, Graaff-reinet, writes:

On visiting the Library this past Saturday, I was informed that the library hours were going to be changed.

As the municipality only has a 40-hour working week, the Library would no longer be open on a Saturday.

Further to that according to statistics... almost no-one uses the library between 17:00 and 18:00 and no-one use the Library on a Saturday. According to these statistics, most people want the library open between 13:00 and 14:00. I battle with that one.

I was also told that the Library would be open between 13:00 and 14:00, as complaints were received that it was not open. I think most people who want to use the library between these hours are there to read newspapers.

We have also been notified about this in the Advertiser in September of this year. Well, when speaking to several library users, that was not seen at all. Notification in the Library itself was not noticed.

Please understand that although notice was given, it was very poorly communicated to Library members.

Most working people cannot get to the Library with the new proposed hours. I personally used the library after 17:00 and also on a Saturday. I am sure most working members will find the new hours difficult.

May I please suggest that the municipality rethink the hours. As there is to be no opening on a Saturday, could the hours be extended to 18:00 during the week. Librarians could manage this by working different shifts.

The library is there to be used by the community.

Please make it possible for the broader community to make use of this service.