Libraries ACT opening hours are changing from 27 August 2026.
- Every library will open an hour earlier on weekdays, at 9 am and close at 5 pm.
- Saturday opening at Belconnen, Dickson, Gungahlin, Tuggeranong, Woden and Kingston will extend to a full day: 9 am – 5 pm (instead of 10 am – 4 pm).
- Sunday opening will end at all libraries.
- Late-night opening (until 8 pm at Dickson, Gungahlin and Woden) will end.
- Civic, Erindale and Kippax libraries will move to weekday opening, Monday to Friday.
- Kingston Library remains open Tuesday to Saturday, with a longer day and a full Saturday.
The changed hours are part of a new operating model, supporting service reliability and continuity.
An independent working group found that the existing operating model for Libraries ACT was contributing to avoidable service disruptions such as unplanned branch closures, due to complex and inflexible arrangements, and significant variation in opening hours across the branches.
Changes to operating arrangements, including opening hours, supports a new rostering model that is fairer, more transparent and more sustainable. This is expected to reduce the factors that contributed to unplanned closures and improve service consistency while providing staff with greater predictability and flexibility.
This change does affect people who use the library on Sundays, and we appreciate it will mean adjusting routines. From 27 August 2026:
- Six libraries – one in every region of Canberra – are open all day Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm.
- The digital collection is available 24/7: eBooks, eAudiobooks, streaming, e-newspapers and research databases, all free with your Libraries ACT membership.
- From late 2026, 24/7 book lockers at selected locations will let you collect reserved items any time, any day.
- You can still return items when libraries are closed using the chutes.
Significant variation in opening hours across Libraries ACT branches, including Sundays and late-nights at some, was contributing to an operating model which was complex, inflexible and inconsistent. This was leading to what should have been otherwise avoidable service disruptions such as unplanned branch closures.
These new opening hours help create a more reliable library service, with hours aligned to when most people use library services, supported by simplified rostering arrangements to strengthen service delivery and continuity, and to provide a stable foundation for future improvements.
Careful consideration was given to limiting disruption where possible, with Sundays chosen because of usual shorter opening hours and no programs running.
Community rooms can continue to be booked at libraries after hours and on weekends, including Sundays.
Weekend service is being concentrated at larger libraries, with at least one open all day Saturday in every region. The nearest Saturday options are:
- Civic Library visitors — Dickson Library, Belconnen or Woden.
- Kippax Library visitors — Belconnen Library.
- Erindale Library visitors — Tuggeranong Library.
Your membership works at every branch and you can borrow and return anywhere in the network.
You can plan your visit using Transport Canberra's journey planner.
Weekday programs still continue. Saturday Giggle and Wiggle, which was held at Kippax Library, will transition to Belconnen Library.
Rooms can continue to be booked after hours and on weekends.
Items can be returned at any branch. After-hours returns chutes remain available. Adjustments to due dates are being explored.
No. All 9 libraries remain open. What changes is when they are open, not whether.
The changes affect when staff work, not how many staff there are. Alongside the new hours, staff move to a new roster that was developed with staff over several months and endorsed by a staff vote. The revised model supports fairer and more transparent rostering arrangements, with greater predictability and a more sustainable approach to managing leave, absences and service delivery.
We will monitor impacts of these changes including visitation, customer feedback, program attendance, branch-specific impacts, locker uptake and feedback from community stakeholders.
Yes. Libraries will continue to respond to community needs, including activation as heat refuges when required by the Chief Health Officer, and hosting special events and activities such as author talks.
You can provide feedback on library services at 02 6205 9000 or via the contact form.