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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Police arrest suspect in east Medford burglaries Medford teen sentenced after shooting at man RVACT looks at challenges facing transportation system Boy Scouts collect Christmas trees in Ashland 10 things to know for Friday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Police arrest suspect in east Medford burglaries Medford teen sentenced after shooting at man Emergency services Man tried to throw woman off balcony of Ashland hotel Caregiver indicted for theft from elderly woman Politics and Elections Councilman stirs online dust-up with anti-marijuana post State certifies recount showing failure of GMO-labeling measure Education Medford School Board meeting deferred because of Ducks game Medford bulks up student support for math, reading Ashland schools to implement chickenpox precautions Traveling artist sets the stage for Ruch School amphitheater Ruch school class focuses on the natural environment Environment OR-7 now officially the leader of his pack Ashland trails up for changes Monument expansion expected to increase tourism, protect resources Biologist resigns over LNG reporting failure Bird flu discovered in Winston backyard flock State News Timber group updates green label forestry standards Attorney: Use Boy Scout files in sex-abuse trial Oregon capitalizes on championship run Suit targets 'auto-hold' video poker strategy 'Portlandia' takes a different path in season 5 Nation - World Obama makes Maduro’s ‘insolent Yankees’ line harder to sell Obituaries Richard Allen Wickham Giovanni Batista Dorothy Lee (Bussell) Davis Robert Charles Pollock Death Notices Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Looking back: Do you remember 2014’s biggest stories? 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Medford teen sentenced after shooting at man ... Bottomfish limits likely to be reshuffled ... Police arrest suspect in east Medford burglaries ... Medford teen sentenced after shooting at man ... Bottomfish limits likely to be reshuffled ... JACKSON COUNTY Expanded library hours begin today Comment By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Social News Reading more books will be an easier New Year's resolution for Jackson County residents, thanks to the expansion of library hours this year. Starting today, the county's 15 library branches will see weekly hours expanded from 310 to 368 total. "It's wonderful," said Carole Levi, Central Point Friends of the Library president and chairwoman of the Jackson County Friends of the Libraries Presidents Forum. "People now have access to libraries seven days a week somewhere in their area." The newer hours are the first across-the-board expansion since the libraries reopened in 2007. The libraries closed for six months because of county budget cuts. Reduced costs by contracting with Maryland-based Library Services and Systems LLC, or LSSI, allowed the libraries to reopen their doors that October. Last May, about 55 percent of county voters supported the creation of a library district. Library services previously had been funded through Jackson County's general fund, but commissioners said the county would no longer be able to support it. "Everybody's really excited for more hours," said Kim Wolfe, director of Jackson County Library Services. "When we opened in 2007 with the minimal hours, we've just had multiple requests for additional hours." Expanded hours at the Medford branch include new Friday and Sunday hours, and the library will be open two hours earlier at 10 a.m. Saturdays, bumping the Medford branch's hours to 40 per week. "We considered the public input that we had, the circulation in each of the communities and population," Wolfe said. Jackson County Library District board member Maureen Swift said the recently formed board worked with local staff and LSSI to negotiate the expanded hours. "This was something we knew was high on the priority list, so we're really happy to be introducing this six months after the district start," Swift said.  Swift said close scrutiny to budgets and schedules meant the district was able to expand hours more than initially anticipated. "We actually ended up with more hours than we thought we might," Swift said. "We thought it was a really great deal." According to Swift, increased morning daytime hours will help the library expand programs that focus on early childhood learning and on seniors, but those programs won't roll out until staff is added.  Wolfe said a few more babies and wobblers programs have been added to the schedule, but little else so far. "The hours will be there, but we're just going to be relying on some current staff members who may have to put in a little bit of overtime until we can get fully staffed up," Swift said. For Levi, the expanded library hours mean an increased need for Friends of the Library volunteer hours, but it's a problem she's glad to have. "There'll be more hours. There'll be more volunteers that are needed at the library," Levi said. "That's our pleasure. That's why we're there." Reach newsroom assistant Nick Morgan at [email protected] .   2015 Jackson County libraries - hours by Mail Tribune   By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Nick Morgan Mail Tribune Posted Jan. 2, 2015 @ 12:01 am » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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