Pound Ridge Library patrons prefer seven-day schedule

By NEAL RENTZ

A year after its implementation, the seven-day schedule at the Pound Ridge Library has been a hit with patrons, Library Director Jennifer Coulter told the board of trustees on Oct. 22. 

The library has been open on a seven-day schedule since September 2025. The move to a daily schedule has resulted in 600 additional open library hours, Coulter noted.

The extra days have led to the library providing additional programs, Coulter said. From September 2025 through September 2026, the library provided 191 additional programs, which attracted 1,791 attendees, she noted.

Over the 12-month period the library has offered 72 programs on Sundays and 119 programs on Mondays, Coulter said. 

Overall, during the 12-month period, in-person programs increased by 23% over the prior year, with 86% of the growth from Sunday and Monday programs, Coulter said, adding that 16% of all in-person programs were held on Sundays and Mondays.

Sundays and Mondays were popular days for the public to apply for passports at the library, with 65% of applicants coming to the library on those days, Coulter said, adding that 239 passport applications were made on the two days. 

Board officers, committee chairs

Also at the meeting, the board officers and committee chairs for the new board year were chosen. 

All board officers were elected unanimously. Board President Richard Esman was reelected. Jenna Wise was elected as vice president.

Mike Lewis, the library’s accountant, who is not a trustee, was chosen as the treasurer. Esman noted prior to the vote that the library’s treasurer does not need to be a trustee. Valerie Shiba-Silverman was elected as the board’s secretary.

The board’s committee chairs were also selected at the meeting:

Bob Bellhouse, Finance Committee; Lexie Gallo-Cook, Governance and Legal Committee; Wise, Public Relations Committee; Shiba-Silverman, Program Development Committee; Christina Sassi-Lehner, Human Resources Committee; Bellhouse, Long Range Planning Committee; Wise, Technology Committee; and Bellhouse, Parking Improvement Committee.