Kicking Off Summer Reading with Extended Hours

Thanks to the overwhelming approval of a new millage in August  2024, Rochester Hills Public Library will continue Sunday hours into the summer months, keeping its doors open from 1-6 p.m.

“RHPL had previously eliminated Sunday hours from June to August as a cost-cutting measure, allowing the library to avoid limiting hours during the week,” said Bob Bonam, President of the Board of Trustees. “One of the promises made to voters last summer was that the library would add 70 operating hours annually by remaining open throughout the weekends, year-round, if the additional tax revenue was secured to fund the cost. We are pleased to deliver that promise to our dedicated patrons.”

"Part of being a public library means being there for patrons, and by adding 5 hours to every week this summer, we can continue to provide a community space 7 days a week."

Referring to the new early literacy bus and increased budgets for materials, Director Juliane Morian said, “We are grateful for our patrons, and we’re happy to say that we have already been able to deliver on several promises made to voters during the 2024 millage campaign. Staying open throughout the summer is a goal we have been working on for years. Part of being a public library means being there for patrons, and by adding 5 hours to every week this summer, we can continue to provide a community space 7 days a week.”

The new hours arrive just in time for RHPL’s Summer Reading Challenge, which runs from June 14 to August 9, and kicks off on Saturday, June 14, from 12-2 p.m. with free family fun at the library. Enjoy ice cream, inflatables, a non-profit fair, and a potting bench offering propagated plants from the library’s own collection. Patrons can beat the crowd and sign up at rhpl.beanstack.org to track their reading and win prizes all summer long, and display their Spread Library Love yard signs for an additional chance to win with this summer’s prize patrol. 

For more information about the Summer Reading Challenge, visit rhpl.org or call 248-656-2900.

Join the Summer Reading Challenge