GenSan extends library service hours until midnight

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- In a bid to cater to more students and other residents, the city government has extended the service hours of the city public library until midnight.

City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Tuesday that the city government’s improved library located at the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) building has started operating beyond the standard daily office hours.

Rivera said the city library is now open from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight, Monday to Saturday, extending from the previous 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. service hours.

The mayor said the move was in response to requests from residents to stretch the library’s operating hours, adding that the idea was mainly influenced by a similar initiative in Cebu City.

“That kind of responsiveness by a local government inspired us. It is a good example that we have to follow," he said.

Rivera said the initiative may be simple but noted that it will benefit many students in their studies and research.

He said thousands of students enroll in undergraduate, graduate and law degrees in local colleges and universities and “majority of them need a conducive place where they can do their studies and other academic requirements peacefully.”

The city library has an online reference system and hosts a hub of the Department of Information and Communication Technology’s Tech4ED or Technology for Education, to gain Employment, train Entrepreneurs towards Economic Development program. (PNA)