The shake-up follows the intermittent partial or full closure of some of Haringey’s facilities on isolated days in the last few months due solely to staff shortages.
The temporary measure will see the borough’s branch libraries operate at least a four-day service, with the main libraries open for six (Wood Green) or seven days a week (Hornsey and Marcus Garvey). There will be two lunchtime closures at each branch library per week under these arrangements.
It comes after careful consideration of staffing levels, room bookings and pre-booked events.
This interim way of working begins on Monday 3 February pending the move to a new, permanent timetable in July 2025 following the decision to reduce opening hours in the face of growing budget pressures.
Cllr Emily Arkell, Haringey Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said:
Libraries are important spaces for our communities and I want to apologise for the recent disruption to opening hours because of staff shortages.
We appreciate this has meant occasional closures at relatively short notice and are introducing this temporary measure to ensure residents have some certainty over when and where their local library will be open for a visit.
Our key priority is to ensure residents have notification of set operating hours over the next few months ahead of planned changes in the summer and hope this solution will be beneficial to our users.
The interim service hours are as follows:
Alexandra Park: Monday: 9am-1pm. Tuesday: Closed. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: 9am-7pm. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm*. Sunday: Closed.
Coombes Croft: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-7pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: Closed. Friday: 9am-1pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: Closed.
Highgate: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-7pm. Wednesday: Closed. Thursday: 9am-1pm. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm*. Sunday: Closed.
Hornsey: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-7pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: 9am-7pm. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: 12noon-4pm.
Marcus Garvey: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-7pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: 9am-7pm. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: 12noon-4pm.
St Ann’s: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-1pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: 9am-7pm. Friday: Closed. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: Closed.
Stroud Green and Harringay: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-1pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: Closed. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm*. Sunday: Closed.
Wood Green: Monday: 9am-7pm. Tuesday: 9am-7pm. Wednesday: 10am-7pm. Thursday: 9am-7pm. Friday: 9am-7pm. Saturday: 9am-5pm. Sunday: Closed.
* Alexandra Park, Highgate and Stroud Green Libraries will be closed on Saturdays on a rotational basis in a three-weekly cycle. When open on a Saturday, these libraries will have a lunchtime closure between 1pm and 2pm.
Muswell Hill Library is currently closed for refurbishment.
