For the past several years, at least half the phone calls to the Waterville Public Library asked the same thing.
“What day is it and what time are you open,’’ Jillian Kervin said of the calls staff members fielded. “No one could remember.’’
In one of her first changes as the new director of the Library, Kervin changed the hours to make it easier on patrons. The Library is open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. No longer will the Library close on Saturdays during the summer but be open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. year-round.
After 14 years working at the library, including as assistant director, Jillian Getman Kervin, a 2001 graduate of Waterville Central School, took over as director when Jeff Reynolds retired in December. Reynolds, who was elected supervisor of the Town of Sangerfield in November, will stay on as a consultant this year.
Part of that role will be to supervise the Library’s next project, which expands its footprint to White Street.
Last year the Library purchased the former Camp house adjacent to the Library’s driveway.
Plans are to turn the house into a permanent place to sell books, along with a cafe. The yard will be used for small performances and a quiet place for relaxing.
Patricia Doughty, the Library’s treasurer, has taken on more duties to assist Kervin. Kervin also publishes the blog Hub of the Huddle.
Even before the pandemic significantly altered what the Library could offer patrons - as of now services are limited to Curbside only again - Kervin said the trend was toward changing the hours to accommodate what people wanted.
“People’s lifestyles are changing,’’ she said. “We’re not just for books. Adults want to come, let their kids play somewhere outside of the house while they browse the books, read a magazine.
“We found that the two days with late hours brought few if anyone in for the last couple of hours. Yet, especially with people home more during the pandemic, they wanted to come by in the late morning,’’ she said.
The change has been an immediate hit, so much so that a banner planned to hang outside the building announcing the new hours was canceled. “The consistency…