The Denver Public Library will expand the Central Library’s hours beginning July 6.

With the Central Library now being open on Saturdays, the expansion brings operations to six days a week.

Additionally, the library will offer curbside pickup on Fridays, which will expand that service to seven days per week, according to a news release from the library.

The announcement comes amidst a city hiring freeze spurred by a $50 million budget shortfall for this year. As such, the library has not added any additional roles to accommodate the extra day, instead having staff adjust their work schedules, a spokesperson with the library confirmed Wednesday afternoon.

The spokesperson said that the library initially had hoped to extend the Central Library hours to seven days per week with one late night, but the freeze had complicated that decision.

Extending its hours has been something the library has been publicly discussing for months. In February, a representative told The Denver Gazette that the Central Library was planning to expand its services to seven days per week later this year after the building’s multi-year renovation had been completed.

At that time, staff said upon reopening the library would use Fridays and Saturdays as a “buffer” to address further renovations and avoid any “unexpected closures” that the recent redevelopment could cause.

The Central Library’s new hours beginning July 6 will be as follows:

• Sunday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Monday-Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
• Friday: Closed, but curbside pickup from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
• Saturday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

“This six-day schedule is responsive to the needs of our community, who have been asking us for Saturday hours, and also maintains consistency in the times we are currently open to the public,” the spokesperson said in a statement.