JAY – The Jay-Niles Memorial Library will cut back library hours effective July 1 in an effort to save money.

The hours will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesdays; from 1 to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays; and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.

During July and August, the library will be closed on Saturdays. Regular Saturday hours will resume on the first Saturday following Labor Day weekend.

The Library Association and the staff realized cuts had to be made somewhere, according to a press release. Attendance statistics for the past two years indicated that some of the present open hours could be scaled back. The new hours are more in line with the times of heavy use of the library.

This cutback in hours will in no way alter the existing library programs and services, the statement said. The Summer Reading Program, Book Talk Club, Pre-school Programs and other events will still be offered.

The association and staff said the main objective was to continue to offer the most current book and magazine collection possible for research and recreational reading.

Another top priority is to provide Internet access and other computer capabilities, such as the online catalog and automation. The network of six public access computers can be very busy. Patrons logged more than 1,400 hours of use in 2003. The library staff assisted more than 21,000 patron visits and circulated more than 54,000 library materials last year.

Bookmarks with the new hours will be given out at the library during June and July. Saturday will remain an amnesty day for overdue materials. Anyone wishing to renew material may phone the library at 645-4062.

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