Question: I went to the Manoa library Saturday, and it was closed for Presidents Day. It was also closed Monday for the actual holiday. The Kaimuki library was closed Sunday, and closed Monday for the actual holiday. I’m curious as to why the public libraries seem to get two to three days off for one holiday. When I was in the workforce, we would get the actual holiday off but not extra days tacked on. It seems that whenever there’s a holiday, the library staff get a long weekend, likely paid by our taxes. Do you know why the public libraries’ staff get so much time off over holidays?
Answer: All public libraries statewide were closed Saturday through Monday for Presidents Day, regardless of whether a particular branch is usually open on weekends (the Manoa library is usually open on Saturdays, while the Kaimuki branch is usually open on Sundays), according to the library system’s website.
“Unlike most other government services, our public library schedules have traditionally been based on community use and available staffing — this is why some libraries are open on Saturdays or Sundays, or not at all on the weekends. When there is a state holiday, we follow a complex negotiated union agreement which allows library staff to observe a three-day weekend for a few (but not all) holidays during the year. For the rest of the holidays, library schedules are adjusted to provide staff with a holiday, while also still working their contractually required hours,” Mallory Fujitani, a spokesperson for the Hawaii State Public Library System, said in an email.
The regular hours of all branches are posted on the HSPLS website, libraries hawaii.org Opens in a new tab, as is the upcoming holiday schedule, which shows that public libraries and support offices statewide will close for the following upcoming state holidays:
>> Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana‘ole Day, March 26, a Wednesday.
>> Good Friday, April 18. Libraries that are usually open on Sundays also will be closed on Easter Sunday, April 20.
>> Memorial Day, May 24-May 26, Saturday through Monday. As with Presidents Day, the holiday falls on a Monday, and a three-day closure will occur.
>> King Kamehameha Day, June 11, a Wednesday.
Other holiday closures will occur later in the year.
Of 25 public libraries on Oahu, 19 are open on Saturdays and three are open on Sundays, according to the website. All libraries are listed as being open Tuesdays through Fridays, while Monday hours vary by branch.
Many library services are available through the system’s website 24/7, even when a physical branch is closed. Library card holders can download e-books, stream movies, read newspapers and more.
Q: Regarding the egg shortage and the high cost of eggs because of the avian flu, are eggs even safe to eat during this?
A: Yes, if they are cooked thoroughly, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 (degrees) F kills bacteria and viruses, including avian influenza A viruses. People should separate uncooked (raw) poultry from cooked foods and foods that won’t be cooked. Cook all poultry and poultry products (including eggs) all the way before eating,” the federal agency says on a web page devoted to food safety and bird flu, 808ne.ws/3EORssU Opens in a new tab.
Cooking to that temperature makes the egg firm, not runny, guidance the American Egg Board, an industry group, has offered long before the current outbreak, to avoid salmonella and other ills. “To ensure food safety, eggs should be cooked until both the yolk and the white are firm. Consuming raw or undercooked eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness, especially for those with certain medical conditions,” it says on its website, incredibleegg.org.
Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.
