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For the first time in a decade, all 81 of Chicago’s public libraries were able to open on Sunday.
But could the omicron variant and a surge in COVID-19 cases put a damper on these expanded hours?
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said Thursday her office will “roll out soon a comprehensive set of new mitigations,” but did not provide details. She and public health officials have said they do not plan on closing businesses.
During last winter’s surge, despite union pushback, libraries remained open even when restaurants were closed for indoor dining.
The reduction in library hours began under former Mayor Rahm Emanuel in 2011. He proposed cutting $8 million from libraries to close a shortfall. The City Council unanimously approved the mayor’s budget that year.
The result? About a quarter of the library’s workforce was eliminated. Neighborhood branches slashed hours, closing Sundays, and even Mondays at one point.
Who’s affected? Reports have found that in some neighborhoods, nearly half of school-age children don’t have internet access at home. For adults, libraries provide job services, like resume help.
Between 2012 and 2019, only Harold Washington Library and the city’s three regional libraries were open seven days a week.
Some branches began expanding their hours after the City Council approved an $18 million property tax hike in Lightfoot's first budget. But the expansion was delayed when the pandemic closed libraries.
👉 Check the Chicago Public Library’s site for branch hours and closures.
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