Andrews library hours to change

  • The Andrews Public Library is in the heart of the community at 871 Main St. downtown, although it is curbside pickup only due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
    The Andrews Public Library is in the heart of the community at 871 Main St. downtown, although it is curbside pickup only due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

        Andrews – When the town’s library reopens to the public, its hours will be reduced.
        “Tuesdays were reduced by two hours and Saturdays were reduced by one hour,” said Franklin Shook, director of the Nantahala Regional Library.
        Due to business shutdowns associated with the coronavirus pandemic, Andrews expects a 25 percent decrease in sales tax revenue for the 2020-21 fiscal year. The
    loss of revenue has caused town officials to cut expenses across several departments.
        Town officials opted to reduce the amount allocated to the regional library system by about 42 percent, which will result in a reduction of hours and staff at the Andrews branch.
        Full-time employees will see a reduction of 8 work hours per week, while part-time employees will see a reduction of 5 hours per week. Library officials also laid off a part-time custodian.
        When the library reopens to the public, it will be closed on Sundays and Mondays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays, the library will be open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
        Thursday hours of operation will be from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. On Saturdays, the library will be open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
        Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all branches of the Nantahala Regional Library system only offer curbside pickup until further notice.