The opening hours of Lisbon's Municipal Libraries have been standardized and extended. The capital's libraries will close later, one of them at midnight. Weekends, especially Sundays, and the late opening at 10 o'clock remain to be resolved.
The main Lisbon Municipal Libraries will now be open until 8pm, instead of closing at 6pm. Some will even be open at night. Lisbon City Council has decided to extend and standardize the opening hours of its libraries for the first time in almost two decades. This measure has been in force since Monday, September 15th.
“This measure, to extend and standardize opening hours, will cover nine libraries under the management of Lisbon City Council, thus completing another strategic objective of municipal action. For almost 20 years, the timetables of the entire network have not been uniform, varying from week to week”, the municipality said in a statement.
In this timetable update, Lisbon City Council distinguishes between two types of libraries and two types of timetable strategies:
- the Anchor Libraries, These are the spaces in Alcântara, Marvila and the Galveias Palace (Central Library), in Campo Pequeno, which will now be open from Monday to Saturday, from 10 am to 8 pm. The Galveias Palace will have a night room: the Saramago Room will be open from Monday to Saturday between 8pm and midnight.
- the Neighborhood Libraries, These are the Belém, Camões, Coruchéus, Orlando Ribeiro, Penha de França and Hemeroteca Municipal libraries. These are now open from Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. On the first and third Saturday of the month, they are open at this time.
“This extension of opening hours, which will begin with the start of winter opening hours, represents an increase of around 40 days of opening, which symbolizes a thousand more hours of public service, providing all the people who frequent the Lisbon Libraries with a more uniform and adequate response to their needs.”, says the municipality.
The recently opened António Mega Ferreira Library in Parque das Nações will continue to be the only library open 24/7. In addition, all the libraries will continue to open later on the last Wednesday of each month, more precisely at 2pm, except for the Marvila Library and the Galveias Palace, which open at 3pm.
“The Lisbon Libraries define themselves as cultural facilities that are close to the people of Lisbon, open to and involved with the territories where they are located, and in defense of culture as a fundamental right, they are a guarantee of access to culture, knowledge and information, working for everyone”, the same note reads.
Timetables were a maze
For years, Lisbon's library timetables were a mazeSome opened on the first Saturday of the month, others on the second or third, and some closed on exactly those days. Then there was the difference between closing at 6pm or 7pm. No one could pin down the opening hours. Standardization finally brings clarity, but it's not enough.
On the one hand, the general opening at 10 a.m. is still late for those who work - libraries have become, for many, spaces for teleworking or studying, without compulsory consumption. On the other hand, remain closed on Sundays, This is precisely when there is more free time. Weekends or evenings could be ideal times for libraries to take center stage in neighborhoods, with debates, workshops and cultural initiatives.
LPP has asked Lisbon City Council several questions about the future of the capital's libraries, and will update this article when and if it receives a response.
