By: Cathy Chen <[email protected]>

Junior Hitesh Dube said he is glad the Carmel Clay Public Library is now open until 7 p.m. on Fridays instead of 5 p.m. because, “I can study there when it’s really quiet if I have to,” Dube said, referring to the smaller number of people at the library on Friday evenings.

According to Hope Baugh, young adult services manager at the CCPL, the library decided to extend its hours on Fridays because survey results.

“We handed out surveys for the public,” Baugh said. “We asked them a lot of different things, and one of the things that kept coming up was, ‘We wish the library was open Friday nights.’”

Baugh said the library couldn’t stay open until 9 p.m. on Fridays, which is the usual closing time on weekdays, because of the cost, but they decided that 7 p.m. was possible.

“It doesn’t cost that much more,” Baugh said, “but I think it provides a big convenience to people. They can stop by after school or work to get DVDs or books for the weekend.”