For the first time in years, the Ceres library will see an expansion of operational hours after the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 July 18 to expand operating hours for county libraries effective Aug. 5.

Since March 2021, sales tax revenues have come in at or higher than expected, resulting in an increased fund balance for the county library.

According to a county staff report, library staff is confident service hours can now be sustainably extended. Based on library usage and customer feedback, the library recommends restoring morning services at all locations.

Hours will not be changed at the Keyes and Modesto libraries.

Acceptance of this recommendation will result in an increase of 91 service hours, from 417 to 508.

“I am thrilled to support expanded library hours throughout the community,” said District 2 Supervisor Vito Chiesa. “We are fortunate to have such a wide variety of library services, led by a top-notch team serving all ages.”

The Ceres library will remain closed on Fridays and Sundays however, the library will see morning hours four days out of the week. On Mondays the Ceres library will be open from 12 noon to 8 p.m. (instead of 2 to 8 p.m.); and on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, the library will open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (opening two hours earlier). 

The library will operate 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. instead of 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The expanded hours will require an increase of $331,153 in part-time extra-help appropriations, funded by the library eighth-cent sales tax revenue. The appropriations increase will be requested in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.

“I look forward to stopping by our community libraries during these new hours to see this good work in person,” said Chiesa.

Funding and staffing woes for the county’s libraries date back decades to the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, which impacted city and county property tax revenues and reduced the amount of revenue available for library services, according to the county.

The library’s funding challenges became more severe in 1986 when state budget actions forced the library to cut its budget by 50 percent. In 1992-93, library revenue was once again reduced by 40 percent due after property tax funds were shifted to use for education.

In February 1994, the Stanislaus County Free Library Advisory Board delivered a report to the Board of Supervisors recommending library services to be restored to an acceptable level of service funded by a eighth-cent sales tax. This dedicated sales tax, now the Library’s primary source of revenue, was first approved by the voters in 1994 for a period of five years; again in 1999 for another five years; in 2004 for eight years; in 2012 for five years; and most recently in 2017 for 12 years, with a sunset date of June 30, 2030.