Arroyo Seco Regional Library to Reopen on Sundays

After three years of being off limits on Sundays because of the city’s budget cuts, the Arroyo Seco Regional Library will be opening its doors to the public again seven days a week starting this coming Sunday, Jan. 12.

The library, located on 6145 N. Figueroa St., will open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, thanks to the passage in the May 2013 elections of Measure L, the local ballot aimed at restoring library services. 

The Arroyo Seco Library is one of eight regional libraries in Los Angeles, all of which will reopen on Sunday afternoons on Jan. 12, along with the Central Library in downtown L.A.

The restoration of hours on Sunday will be celebrated by a ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled to be attended by Councilmember Gil Cedillo, Senior Librarian Dora Suarez said.

A range of special programs are also scheduled, including:

• 12:30 p.m.: Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, with excellent refreshments (of course).
• 1 p.m.: Special Reptile themed storytime.
• 1:30 p.m.: Reptile-themed craft project.
• 2 p.m.: Thor's Reptile Family presentation about reptiles.
• 3 p.m.: Movie screening (call branch for details).
• STAR readers will be available all day to provide fun reading sessions to kids who come by.

“This would not have been possible without Measure L,” Suarez told Highland Park-Mount Washington Patch, adding: “We are vey thankful to voters for enabling us to continue having Sunday hours.”

The library used to get a huge turnout during the four hours that it used to be open on Sundays. “We got the same amount of people that we get in eight hours, and we're expecting roughly the same number again,” Suarez recalled. “About 600 people walk into the library, and computers are booked the minute we open until closing time.” 

One of the oldest public library branches in Northeast L.A., the Arroyo Seco branch will be 100 years on Feb. 27. The library's centennial birthday will be celebrated with special activities all month, Suarez said. Stay tuned for details.