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Copley branch of BPL to close on Sundays

The Boston Public Library is due to close on Sundays because of budget cuts. AMANDA SWINHART/ Daily Free Press Staff

Those who flock to the Copley branch of the Boston Public Library on the weekends might soon have to find somewhere else to check out their books after BPL trustees approved budget cuts at the end of March which will keep the library closed on Sundays starting next fall.

The trustees passed a $39.3 million budget that does not include branch closures or layoffs, but Gov. Deval Patrick has only slotted $2.4 million for the library system in his budget, according to an article in The Dorchester Reporter.

Many trustees “noted that keeping the Copley Library open on Sundays would cost $250,000,” according to the BPL website.

BPL faces cuts in funding from the City of Boston, but the trustees were “looking for options without layoffs,” according to the website.

Mary Bender, the communications manager at the BPL acknowledged that it was a tough decision, but ultimately made the most financial sense.

“The trustees were faced with difficult decisions,” she said. “They needed to make budget cuts and this was one place they felt they could cut that wasn’t needed.”

Students and city residents alike must now find new study spots on Sundays from October to May.

“It is very unfortunate that the Copley Library will be closing on Sundays because it is a valuable community service. . .Once it goes into effect, I guess I’ll just go wherever I can find Wi-Fi, like Starbucks and Barnes and Noble,” said Erin Cox, an attorney at a local non-profit who regularly frequents BPL.

Others were less understanding of the policy changes, such as Marie Ellman, whose husband values his weekend quiet time at the library.

“People who have long day jobs love to come here on the weekends. For example, Sunday is a good day for my husband to come down here, and he loves it,” she said.

“I don’t know what he’s going to do when they start closing on Sundays. I really don’t. I guess I’ll have to get him books during the week so he can stay at home and read them on Sunday,” Ellman said.

City residents and businesspeople who are not the only ones upset over the upcoming policy changes – students are frustrated as well.

“I don’t understand why they had to choose Sunday. Why couldn’t they choose a Wednesday or something like that? I mean, I love to go to the Boston Public Library on the weekends, particularly on Sunday, because Mugar can often be noisy,” said Molly Karg, a freshman at Boston University’s School of Management.

“When I know I need to study for a long time, I try to go to the Boston Public Library, but I don’t know what I’ll do now,” Karg said.

The closed Sundays policy at Copley is just another part of the budget cuts to the BPL system after the trustees voted to close four local branches last year to deal with budgetary constraints.

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