As Durango Public Library patrons are aware, the library is closed on Sundays and closes at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. However, library patrons may not be aware that the Pine River Library is open on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and the Ignacio Public Library is open on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In addition, the Pine River Library is open 61 hours each week, the Ignacio Library is open 62 hours a week and the Durango library is open 57.5 hours.
In a July 25 letter to me, the Durango Library director reiterated that opening the library on Sundays “could cost around $400,000 per year,” and yet the Pine River Library estimates its Sunday costs at $20,800 annually, and Ignacio costs an estimated $12,000 annually.
While our new Durango library is a great source of community pride and the FOL make a valued contribution, the city has the responsibility to assure that the continued accrual of an estimated combined FOL fund of over $100,000 is handled with more openness, better transparency, public accountability and appropriate oversight.
Considering current county demographics, it may be time to consider a unified county-wide library district.
Renee Parsons
Durango