After Long Consultation Period, KFPL Tweaks Rural Hours

Apr 12, 2023

The Kingston Frontenac Public Library (KFPL) has been working on fine tuning its rural branch hours since the fall of 2021, all leading to a set of changes that will come into effect on May 1st.

Feedback was gathered through a community survey in the fall of 2021, and the library facilities plan, and visitor and borrowing data, were also considered.

Following the review, KFPL held public open house events at each location where changes to hours were recommended. Feedback could be shared by email or phone with Kimberly Sutherland Mills, Director of Service Design and Delivery.

With feedback from the community, the library board approved the final recommendations in February 2023, with changes identified for nine of KFPL's Frontenac County branches.

“Some of the feedback that we received surprised us, and caused us to make different changes than we originally envisioned,” said Sutherland Mills in a telephone interview.

Among the messages that came across from library users was that many of them did not appreciate some of the split hour service in rural branches such as Hartington, where the Monday and Wednesday hours are currently 1pm-5pm and 6pm-8pm.

“We heard loud and clear that people wanted to be able to stop at the branch on their way home, which is between 5pm and 6pm, so that was one of the changes that we made,” said Kimberly-Mills. The new Hartington hours, on Mondays and Wednesdays, will be 1pm-6pm. (see complete hours below)

“We also heard in Sydenham that people did not like the fact that the branch was not open on Wednesdays, so it will now be open 6 days a week,” she said.

In Central Frontenac there was some shuffling of hours between the Mountain Grove and Sharbot Lake branches, but the total number of library hours in Central Frontenac branches is unchanged.

In fact, the total number of branch hours throughout Frontenac County have been maintained through the process, maintaining library services as library use continues to recover after slipping during the COVID period.

The KFPL has greatly enhanced its digital offerings before and during the COVID, enhancing the service for people who have fast and reliable Internet, which can be a challenge in rural areas and others who cannot afford internet services.

“We have heard from our rural patrons that internet service can be a real challenge, and that is one of the reasons why we keep our Wifi open 24 hours a day, at all of our rural branches. People can park next to the branch to receive and send email, or download library materials, at any time.”

The new branch hours are as follows. This information will also be included in ads that will appear in the Frontenac News on April 20 and April 27.

Frontenac County hours starting May 1, 2023

Arden (No changes) Tuesday – 2pm – 6pm, Thursday 5pm - 8pm, Saturday, 10am - 1pm.

Cloyne: Tuesday 10am–2pm, Wednesday 4pm–7pm, Friday 12pm – 4pm, Saturday 10am–pm.

Hartington Monday 1pm – 6pm, Wednesday 1pm – 6pm, Saturday 9am – 2pm

Mountain Grove Wednesday 5pm – 7pm, Friday 9am – to 11am, Saturday 1pm – 3pm.

Parham Tuesday 4pm – 6pm, Thursday 5pm – 7pm, Saturday 10am – 2pm

Plevna Tuesday 2pm – 6pm, Thursday 2pm – 6pm, Friday 10am – 1pm, Saturday 10am – 1pm.

Sharbot Lake Tuesday 2pm – 7pm, Wednesday, 11am – 3pm, Thursday 2pm – 7pm, Friday 1pm – 5pm, Saturday 9am – 2pm

Storrington Tuesday 1pm – 6pm, Thursday 1pm – 6pm, Saturday 9am – 2pm.

Sydenham Monday 10am – 3pm, Tuesday 2pm – 7pm, Wednesday 10am – 3pm, Thursday 2pm – 7pm, Friday 10am – 3pm, Saturday 9am – 5pm.