Today, Assemblymember Monica Wallace (D-Lancaster) visited the Lancaster Public Library and announced the library will extend its operating hours to include noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays throughout the 2024-25 school year. The temporary extension of opening hours was made possible by $10,000 in state funding that Assemblymember Wallace secured for the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library. The new hours begin Sunday, Sept. 8.

“Public libraries are vital community institutions that ensure literature, Internet access, and educational materials are within reach of everyone,” said Assemblymember Wallace. “By remaining open every day during the school year, the Lancaster Public Library will give students an opportunity to use library resources to complete their schoolwork. I’m proud to have secured state funding to improve access to our local library.”

“We thank Assemblymember Monica Wallace for securing this grant for the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library, a nonprofit organization created to support our library,” said Kara Stock, Director of the Lancaster Public Library. “This funding will allow the library to remain open on Sundays during the school year, facilitating access to our free resources and services seven days a week.”

“I would like to thank Assemblymember Monica Wallace for procuring this generous grant of $10,000 for The Friends of the Lancaster Public Library to fund operation of the Lancaster Library from 12 PM to 5 PM on Sundays during the school year,” said Donna Stempniak, President of the Friends of the Lancaster Public Library. “The goal is to increase availability of library resources to the public during the weekend on a day when the library is usually closed.Programming during this time is geared toward parents/caretakers and children who may not have the opportunity to visit the library during the week.Library Director Kara Stock and her staff make reading fun and interesting with the goal of increasing community literacy.Thank you to Assemblymember Wallace for promoting opportunities for working parents and their children to learn together.”

Assemblymember Wallace has delivered resources to support libraries throughout her time in office. She has secured nearly $100,000 for the Lancaster Public Library to improve accessibility, maintain the elevators, construct a children’s play area, and extend the operating hours through Sundays during the 2022-23 school year. She has also secured over $130,000 for facility upgrades to libraries in the Town of Cheektowaga and advocated for and helped pass an increase in statewide library aid in the most recent state budget.