South County Branch Library Gets New Name as System Expands Hours

By Tim Lemke

The South County Branch Library will be re-named the Deale Community Library this month as the system moves to expand hours, thanks to a funding boost granted to libraries in June by the county council and County Executive Laura Neuman. 

The Provinces Library in Severn will be be re-named the Severn Community Library.

Meanwhile, all "branch" libraries will be re-labeled as "community" libraries. Further in the future, all libraries with the "area" designation will be re-branded as "regional" libraries. 

“We want this idea of a community gathering space to apply to all of our libraries,” M. Hall Worthington, Jr., president of the library’s board of trustees said in a statement. “To reinforce this goal, we are adding the words “community library” to 12 of our branch names and will be making changes, both dramatic and subtle to add to the appeal of these libraries.”

The changes come as the library system plans to expand its hours beginning on January 26. 

Under the changes announced last year, all libraries will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Five libraries will also be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sundays, including the Crofton and Severna Park libraries. 

“This will mark the first time that libraries throughout Anne Arundel County all will have the same schedule,” said Hampton “Skip” Auld, the executive director of the library system, in a statement. “No longer do you have to scratch  your head and ask, ‘Is the library open this morning?’ or ‘Is the library open after work today?’ We are truly pleased.”