Ottawa mother Natalie Cox says she takes her children to the Ottawa Public Library\u2019s Nepean Centrepointe branch because it\u2019s open on Sundays: \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0the only day I have off.\u201d<\/p>\n
She also enjoys other features of the location, such as the\u00a0imagine space<\/a>, where she and her children made buttons recently.\u00a0However, when the branch was damaged during the\u00a0Canada Day floods<\/a>,\u00a0Cox\u2019s other option was the Emerald Plaza branch, which is closed Sunday.<\/p>\n OPL has 33 branches\u00a0across\u00a0Ottawa. Only 10 are open on Saturdays and Sundays.<\/p>\n As election day approaches, some parents are looking for candidates who promise more support for OPL\u00a0branches, particularly around openings.\u00a0<\/p>\n With more than 268,000 active cardholders, as outlined in its 2025 annual repor<\/a>t<\/a>, OPL serves people with a wide range of schedules. The library has<\/a> a $69.2-million operating budget and a $7.78-million capital budget.<\/p>\n Another Ottawa mom, Caroline Leal, told Capital Current she started the Instagram account,\u00a0Ottawa But With Kids<\/a>,\u00a0during her second\u00a0maternity leave to highlight family infrastructure in the city,\u00a0including\u00a0places to take children that parents will also enjoy.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now, she\u2019s\u00a0started a series about libraries on her Instagram account, reviewing the services branches provide and the amenities around them.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Leal says some branches\u2019 lack of Sunday hours\u00a0becomes\u00a0a bigger\u00a0issue in the winter, when activities can be limited. Going to a library can be an all-day indoor activity, especially when the weather is harsh, but visits may be cut short by some\u00a0restricted hours.<\/p>\n \u201cLibraries open at 10 a.m., and families (with young children) can have lived five lifetimes by then,\u201d\u00a0she said.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Carlingwood branch was also damaged during the Canada Day floods. Parent Onyekachi Kanu said she was unable to take her children to a different branch, so had to wait until the branch reopened. This limited her children\u2019s ability to check out books, since school libraries were also closed in summer.<\/p>\n Candidates\u2019 plans for library hours<\/p>\n Cox said candidates\u2019 plans for libraries will influence how\u00a0she votes.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Mayoral candidate Jeff Leiper says\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0committed to getting libraries open on Sundays.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s the city\u2019s obligation to provide the greatest possible number of library hours,\u201d he told Capital Current. \u201cPeople lead busy lives.\u00a0It\u2019s\u00a0often the weekend when they can take advantage of library hours.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Shawn Menard, who is seeking re-election in Capital Ward, says\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0pushing for OPL\u2019s Sunnyside branch in his ward to stay open longer, especially on Sundays. He said many families have raised the issue with him,\u00a0with his\u00a0campaign\u2019s\u00a0petition<\/a>\u00a0to\u00a0expand library hours\u00a0gathering\u00a0hundreds of signatures.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe hear all the time from families that are surprised when they show up to the library on Sunday or on Friday at 11 a.m. and it\u2019s closed,\u201d Menard said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Currently, 23 out of 33 branches open late on Fridays \u2014 at 1 p.m. \u2014 while five are closed on Friday. The rest close earlier Fridays than on weekdays, which is also the case for Saturday hours at all branches.<\/p>\n Leiper said his own family has been affected. With many branches closed on Sundays,\u00a0his son\u2019s access\u00a0to the library when he was younger.\u00a0<\/p>\n The map locates all OPL branches. The branches in green are open both weekend days and red ones are closed Sunday. [Map @ Zayn Daureeawoo] <\/p>\n Expanding library hours<\/p>\n Menard\u00a0said Ottawa should following in\u00a0Toronto\u2019s footsteps<\/a>\u00a0in\u00a0keeping\u00a0all\u00a0its\u00a0library branches\u00a0open on Sunday, which he said was met with \u201cgreat\u00a0fanfare.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n In a written statement,\u00a0OPL\u00a0spokesperson\u00a0Nadine Bernard said the\u00a0organization has heard\u00a0a desire for\u00a0more hours on Friday mornings and Sundays\u00a0from\u00a0many users.\u00a0The statement said\u00a0OPL is extending opening hours through \u201ca phased, multi-year approach.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe know how much people value their local library branch and the role branches play\u00a0in their communities,\u201d Bernard said.\u202f\u201cOPL\u2019s approach to expanding hours is based in part on client feedback, alongside operational considerations.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement said\u00a0a new\u00a0collective agreement<\/a>\u00a0with unionized library workers would include Sundays\u00a0as\u00a0core hours, requiring workers to work at least one of every six Sundays and potentially more for part-time employees. Menard said\u00a0the agreement\u00a0marks\u00a0a step toward\u00a0expanding\u00a0library opening hours, but funding\u00a0remains\u00a0a barrier.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Leiper said\u00a0that, if he elected,\u00a0 he\u00a0expects\u00a0he could find the necessary funding in the existing\u00a0city budget.\u00a0If\u00a0extending library hours\u00a0proves\u00a0more expensive than his\u00a0initial\u00a0thoughts, he said,\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0be \u201copen to\u00a0modest tax\u00a0increases.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Menard said\u00a0the city might need to consider library fees, though\u00a0he\u2019d\u00a0prefer to keep libraries completely free. He said\u00a0OPL\u2019s\u00a0senior staff and\u00a0board\u00a0would\u00a0have the final say.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cOPL staff would\u00a0analyze\u00a0whether a change to operating hours would be feasible and prepare a recommendation for the OPL\u00a0board,\u201d Bernard said.\u00a0\u201cAny change would\u00a0(require)\u00a0board approval, with any required funding also subject to\u00a0council approval through the\u00a0city\u2019s budget process.\u00a0With the necessary approvals, senior managers would then develop and implement an operational plan.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The new Hunt Club branch, expected to open next year<\/a>, will likely be closed Sundays with reduced hours on Friday and Saturday, OPL spokesperson Anthony Langlois said in a written statement. These hours remain tentative.<\/p>\n \u201cThe new (Hunt Club) branch will be classified as a local branch. The usual hours of local branches include full days from Monday to Thursday, half days Friday and Saturday, and are closed on Sunday. Please note that the exact opening hours of Hunt Club branch remain to be confirmed,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n Langlois said hours for \u0100dis\u014dke, a new central branch set to open next year after delays<\/a>, have not been determined.<\/p>\n \u201cThe new central branch at \u0100dis\u014dke will be classified as central, so compared to a local branch, it will have expanded hours and will open every day, but the exact times remain to be confirmed,\u201d Langlois said.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t