FORT PIERCE - Due to a reduction in staff of nearly 25 percent, St. Lucie County libraries will be decreasing their hours of operation beginning Sunday, Aug. 31.

St. Lucie County Commissioners recently approved the change in hours for the five libraries. The proposed changes would ensure that at least three branches are open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, all branches are open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and one branch is open on Sunday.

Beginning Aug. 31, the Fort Pierce and Hurston Branch libraries will be closed all day on Mondays, the Lakewood Park and Port St. Lucie Branch libraries will be closed all day on Wednesdays, the Hurston Branch will close early on Thursdays and the Morningside Branch will be closed on Sundays.

The new hours of operation for the St. Lucie County Library System are:

§ Sunday from 1 - 5 p.m. - Fort Pierce Branch Library.

§ Tuesday from 9 a.m. - 8:30 p .m. - Fort Pierce, Morningside, Lakewood Park, Port. St. Lucie and Hurston Branch libraries.

§ Wednesday from 9 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. - Fort Pierce, Morningside and Hurston Branch libraries.

§ Thursday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Fort Pierce, Morningside, Lakewood Park, Port St. Lucie and Hurston Branch libraries.

§ Friday from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m. - Fort Pierce Branch Library.

§ Friday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Morningside, Lakewood Park, Port St. Lucie and Hurston Branch libraries.

§ Saturday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. - Fort Pierce, Morningside, Lakewood Park, Port St. Lucie and Hurston Branch libraries.

For information about the St. Lucie County Library System visit http://www.st-lucie.lib.fl.us.

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