Starting on the 1st of next month, the city library will extend its weekday hours until 10 p.m. It currently closes at 6 p.m., which has made it hard in practice for office workers after work or students coming from cram school to use it. The library said it surveyed 1,200 users over the past three months and that 64% of respondents wanted longer evening hours. During the added hours, only the general collection and the reading room will be open, and the children's section will still close at 6 p.m. as it does now. Instead of hiring new night staff, the library will split and adjust the working hours of its 12 existing employees. After a three-month trial, the library plans to look at visitor numbers by time of day and decide again whether to keep the extension. Weekend hours are not part of this change.
