Seeing results from a resident survey indicating a desire for more library and community center programming, council received proposals to honor those requests.

Leisure Services Director Lance Whitworth presented recommended changes that would create more consistent hours and add more programs for both parks and recreation and the library during the Monday, May 15, council meeting. Changes implemented would likely be incorporated into the ongoing budget process for the upcoming year.

As the city has returned to in-person events and programs at its facilities, it has seen an eager public willing to attend.

“Coming out of COVID, we’ve had record-breaking years at both facilities for programming and special events,” Whitworth said. 

Residents indicated they want expanded hours at the library and community center in the citywide survey conducted last year. At the library specifically, the most popular desires were for all ages programming; convenient program times; science, technology, engineering and mathematics and English as a second language courses.

Whitworth said any added hours or programs would require additional staff because the current number of employees and schedules allows for limited programs in the evenings and on weekends. The library is currently open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

Staff recommended an option that would see the library open earlier most days of the week with reduced hours during the evening on Friday and Saturday. Library Manager Daniel Laney said the evening hours, namely the last hour, are the slowest at the library.

Based on staff recommendations, the new hours would be 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, which would increase the number of open hours per week to 60. 

“Consistency with the hours has been an issue with our current schedule because some days we open at 10 and others we open at 11 and some days where we close at 6 or 8 or 4,” Laney said. “By making the hours as consistent as we can while expanding a considerable amount was the option we went with.”

To accommodate the new hours and addition of two weekly programs, on average, the library would need to add two full-time and part-time positions — a total of four new staff. The cost for two part-time staff members is $46,000, the library program specialist is $73,000 and the final full-time position is $62,000.

Additionally, changes at the community center would expand its hours of operation while also adding the capacity for more citywide events and programs. Whitworth and his team proposed 66 operating hours at the community center that would allow for it to be open on Monday.

The proposed hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. This would allow for 34 classes per week, 24 open gym hours for basketball, 19 open gym hours for pickleball and 18 hours of free play, Whitworth said.

For the full story, see the June 1 issue of The Sachse News.