Children’s Reading Hour at Libros Schmibros.
Photo by Kate Valdez/ Boyle Heights Beat
This article was originally published by Boyle Heights Beat, a nonprofit newsroom of the L.A. Local News Initiative serving Boyle Heights and East L.A.
Libros Schmibros has expanded its hours to six days a week, filling a gap in Boyle Heights’ access to library services.
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The lending library, located across the street from Mariachi Plaza, is now open Tuesday through Sunday — a move that comes just weeks after the closure of a temporary bungalow that had supported the Benjamin Franklin Library during renovations.
“Our ambitions were always to be as available to the public as possible,” David Kipen, co-founder of Libros Schmibros, told Boyle Heights Beat. “We can’t wait to welcome people in on a new day.”
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Libros Schmibros, which offers residents free books, started at four days a week when it first opened 15 years ago. Most recently, it opened Wednesday through Sunday.
Kipen helped start the nonprofit back in 2010, when libraries throughout Los Angeles, including in Boyle Heights, closed their doors on Sundays and Mondays due to budget cuts.
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