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Los Angeles Libraries Will Now Be Open On Mondays

LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Los Angeles libraries will once again be open on Mondays after budget cuts prompted the city to close all 73 of them once a week last summer.

The city's chief librarian said restoring service is a priority because Monday is usually a high-traffic day.

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The Library Department started closing libraries on Mondays last summer due to budget cuts, leaving library hours at their lowest point in its 140 year history.

Since 2009, the department has lost nearly 300 librarians and other staff -- about 27 percent of its employees -- due to budget tightening and early retirement incentives, the department's Peter Persic said.

In three months, city officials will evaluate the service to see if enough people are visiting the libraries.

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