Tag Archives: Milwaukee Public LIbrary

Hip, hip, hooray for the Milwaukee Public Library

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I’m sure it’s kind of a downer for staff members, who have to chase the materials down and set them aside, but it is great news for Milwaukee Public Library customers. According to the library’s web site:

Media Holds: Milwaukee Public Library Policy Change
Effective February 16th.

Effective Monday, February 16th 2009, Milwaukee Public Library (MPL) entertainment DVDs/videos and music CDs will once again be available for holds and interloan. Media items will be sent to any location within the Milwaukee County Federated System for pick-up.

The Milwaukee County Federated Library System (MCFLS) Board also approved a system-wide limit of 15 maximum pending holds per patron. This change will also take effect on February 16th. Patrons who currently have pending holds that exceed 15 will have those holds honored.

The library officially stopped allowing holds on electronic media last year, but the policy appeared to be inconsistently applied. (At least, friends told me they still were placing holds and some of my own electronic item renewals were denied because the items were on hold.) The library’s reversal shows that it is listening to what customers want and need.

Kudos to MPL Director Paula Kiely and her staff.

Winners, losers in library hour changes

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There are big losers and small winners for users of the Milwaukee Public Library next year.

Budget woes mean the library (again) had to reduce hours.  It looks like the good folks at MPL implemented more standardized hours for some of the libraries, so a couple of them with morning hours, like Washington Park, lost those and those that opened at 1 p.m. on some days will open at 12:30 p.m. instead. 

The biggest losers will be patrons of the Washington Park and Zablocki branch libraries, which will each be open 11 fewer hours per week next year.

The Mill Road branch also will take the 11-hour hit, but that will be mitigated somewhat by year-round Saturday hours. Right now, Saturday hours are offered September through May, according to the library’s 2008 schedules. The 2009 schedule does not show seasonal limitations on Saturday hours.

Also gaining year-round Saturday hours are the Center Street, Forest Home, Martin Luther King, Tippecanoe and Villard Ave. branch libraries. The Forest Home, MLK, Tippecanoe and Villard libraries will add an additional 1.5 service hours per week on top of the Saturday increase. Atkinson also will be open an additional 1.5 hours per week.

The Central Library, that monument to knowledge, will be open six fewer hours per week next year. Sigh.

There will be no changes at the Bay View, Capitol and East branches. The Central Library drive-thru will be open one hour less per week.

Here’s next year’s schedule.