Date: August 26, 2005

To: RCPL Board

From: Board Policy Committee

Lynda Clark, Chairman

RE: Closing on Christmas and New Year’s Eves

Recommendation: Close the library at 12:00 noon on December 24 and at 3:00 p.m. on December 31, 2005.

Background: Historically, the library has closed early on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. The current approved Closed Days Calendar lists the library as closing at 5:30 on these two dates. However, direction is also taken from the Mayor, who has issued early holiday closing times that are observed by all the city offices.

Because these dates fall on Saturdays this year, the Mayor quite likely will not issue early closing times as City Hall will be closed. Therefore, the closing times recommended here are based on previous practice: in 2002 and 2003, the library closed at 12:00. In 2004, Christmas Eve fell on a Friday and the library was closed the entire day in observance of the legal holiday.

New Year’s Eve has less consistency to its history. In 2002, the library closed at 4:00. In 2003, the library closed at 2:00. And in 2004, the library was closed all day due to the legal holiday.