After a long pandemic closure and a gradual resumption of service, Seattle Public Library said this week that starting Dec. 6, most of its branches would return to pre-pandemic hours.

With this expansion, 20 out of the 27 branches will be open six days a week, and will offer evening hours at least two days a week.

Among the branches that will be delaying the expansion of hours, due to staffing shortages and other pandemic-related issues, are Capitol Hill, Douglass-Truth, Northeast, Northgate, Southwest and West Seattle, according to an SPL news release. Additional hours for those branches are expected to be added in early 2022.

The Central Library, currently open Wednesday nights until 8 p.m., will add Thursday night hours, but remain closed on Monday and Tuesday evenings. It will also reopen the Hugh and Jane Ferguson Seattle Room, which contains resources about Seattle history, by appointment on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. The Central Library’s book spiral (the upper floors) remains closed for general browsing, but an SPL rep said those floors were planned to reopen in early 2022.

For hours open by location, go to spl.org/hours.