EVERETT — The city’s library system will expand its hours come late February and has plenty of plans for 2022, the chair of the city’s library board said last week.
The library system plans to launch a community navigator program to help get people to social services, Maureen Malley said. It will also launch a monthly veterans book club this January.
Also recently, a 24/7 holds locker opened at the Evergreen Branch, she said. The locker lets people type in their library card number and a few other details to retreive materials from a designated locker set inside by staff.
“2021 was another challenging year for our community and our libraries and a test of our flexibility,” Malley opened in her presentation to the City Council last week.
The libraries re-opened to the public last March.
In those nine months, Everett’s libraries served more than 150,000 guests and circulated more than 25,000 physical and digital items, Malley reported. The libraries also added 24,000 physical items to its collection.
Hours will be expanded at both branches starting Feb. 22 thanks to an agreement with the city’s employee union, Malley said. It will include some evening hours.
Currently, the main library at 2902 Hoyt Ave. and the Evergreen Branch, 9512 Evergreen Way, are open only Tuesdays through Saturdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
“Libraries continue to be a social equalizer,” Malley concluded.
