libraries

What’s Open and Closed on Memorial Day 2015

May 23, 2015 By Jeffrey Strain Leave a Comment

The weekend of May 23 through May 25, 2015, is Memorial Day weekend. As with many federal holidays, it can get confusing as to what will and won’t be open on Memorial Day. The United States doesn’t have national holidays, so while federal employees will have Memorial Day off, people working in other sectors may or may not have the day off depending on what the company they work for decides. Since each individual workplace decides whether or not to remain open, it can get quite confusing as to what will and won’t be open. Below you’ll find a list of those places you can expect to be open and closed on Monday, May 25, 2015.

Retail Stores

Most retail stores are open. Memorial Day has become an event to drive traffic to stores at the beginning of the summer season through Memorial Day sales. Due to this, most retail outlets remain open on Memorial Day. Major retailers like Walmart, Target, Macys and Sears will all be open on May 25. The one major retailer which closes its doors for the day is Costco. You can see the list of stores which will be open and closed here.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are open. For those who find they need to stop by their local grocery store to get food on May 25, you’ll be happy to know that all major grocery store chains will be open. It’s important to note that some of the grocery stores will be open for holiday hours, and not their regular Monday hours. If you plan to go to the store in the evening, you may want to call to confirm they will be open when you are planning to go.

Drugstores

Drug stores are open. All three of the major national drugstores (Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens) will be open for business on Memorial Day. Most local and independent drugstores should also be open, but you will want to call to confirm and to check their hours.

Federal, State and Local Government Offices

Government offices are closed. Since Memorial Day is a federal holiday, all government offices at the federal state and local level are closed as long as they are nonessential. Those government entities which are considered vital, such as police departments and fire stations, will remain open.

Stock Markets

Stock markets are closed. While the stock markets don’t close on every federal holiday, the two major stock markets (the New York Stock Exchange and NASDAQ) will both be closed on Memorial Day.

Banks & Credit Unions

Banks and credit unions are closed. The vast majority of banks and credit unions will be closed on Monday, May 25. There aren’t a few exceptions, but they are far and few between. You can see a complete list here.

US Postal Service

Post office branches are closed. Since the United States Postal Service is part of the federal government, post office branches will be closed on Memorial Day. There will be no mail delivered as well. Both Federal Express and United Postal Service will also be closed to observe the holiday.

Schools

Schools are closed. The vast majority of both public and private schools observe federal holidays. These institutions will not be open in order to observe the holiday.

Libraries

Libraries are closed. Libraries typically observe federal holidays, so most will be closed on May 25.

Garbage Service

Garbage service is closed. For those who typically have their garbage picked up on Monday, that service may not run depending on what city or town you live in. In many cases, garbage service is rescheduled for Tuesday, May 26, but you should check with your local garbage service to confirm.

Restaurants

In most cases, restaurants are open. If you plan to eat out on Memorial Day, you’ll be happy to know that most major chain restaurants will remain open. If you’re planning to go to a local restaurant, you will want to call to confirm that they will be open. Many independently owned restaurants close on Monday as their day off for the week, so keep this in mind.

Gas Stations

Gas stations are open. Those traveling over the Memorial Day weekend should have no problem finding gas. Most gas stations will remain open to cater to the holiday traffic, and if there is one that closes, there should be plenty of others around to fill the void.

(Photo courtesy of Dawn Paperin)

What’s Open and Closed on Labor Day 2015

August 30, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain 6 Comments

As with many holidays that land on a Monday like Labor Day, it can be confusing to try to remember which businesses are open and which are not. If you plan to go out on Monday, September 7, then it is a good idea to know what is open and what is closed. This will allow you to avoid wasting time by not going to places which will be closed. Below you’ll find a breakdown of which businesses will be open and closed for Labor Day:

Retail Stores

Most major retailers are open. Most large retail stores will be open for Labor Day, with the exception of Costco. Many of these retail stores, such as Target, Walmart, and Macy’s will also be having special sales events throughout the entire holiday weekend. If you decide to include shopping as part of your Labor Day celebration, don’t forget that if you purchase items on sale due to the great price which you wouldn’t have bought otherwise, then you aren’t actually saving money.

Drug Stores

Drug stores are open. the three major drugstore chains (Walgreens, Rite Aid and CVS Caremark) will be open on Labor Day. If you use an independent local drugstore, you should call them directly to determine if they will be open or if they will be operating during special hours for the holiday.

Gas Stations

Gas stations are open. Most gas stations are open on Labor Day due to the large amount of vacation and holiday traffic. Some independent gas stations may decide to close, but there should be plenty that remain open in the areas where these might close for the day. Some gas stations which are not open 24 hours may also choose to operate on holiday or Sunday hours, instead of their normal Monday hours.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are open. All major grocery store chains will be open for Labor Day, however, some may be operating on Sunday or holiday hours. If you are planning to go shopping in the evening, then you may wish to call to double check their store hours for Monday, September 7.

Restaurants

restaurants are open. Most major chain restaurants will be open on Monday, September 7. Independently owned restaurants set their own hours, so it is best to call and verify their hours if you are planning to go to one.

Federal, State and Local Government Offices

Most government offices are closed. Due to the fact that Labor Day is a federal holiday, all non-essential federal, state and local government offices are closed in observance of this. However, government offices which have been deemed as essential to safety and security will remain open. Basically, only essential government services will remain open, such as police departments and fire stations. National Parks will also remain open.

The Stock Market

Stock markets are closed. All stock markets in the United States will be close on Labor Day.

Credit Unions & Banks

Banks and credit unions are closed. Financial institutions are typically closed for federal holidays, so banks and credit unions will be closed in observance of Labor Day on Monday. Even though these financial institutions are closed for the day, you can still do financial transactions by using the bank’s ATM or accessing your account online. It’s important to remember transactions which are performed on a holiday may not be completed until the next business day.

Post Offices

Post offices are closed. All post offices will be closed and no mail will be delivered on September 1 in observance of Labor Day as it’s an official federal holiday.

Schools

Schools are closed. Federal holidays are generally observed by both private and public schools. Schools, if they have already started the new year, will be closed to observe Labor Day on Monday.

Libraries

Libraries are closed. Nearly all libraries observe federal holidays and will be closed in observance of Labor Day.

Garbage Services

Garbage service won’t pick-up. Most garbage pickup services will be closed on Monday, September 7 for Labor Day, but this varies from town to town. You should check with your local garbage service to see if they will be open if your normal garbage pickup day is on a Monday.

(Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker)

What’s Open and Closed on Labor Day 2017

August 30, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain 6 Comments

Updated for 2017

As with many holidays that land on a Monday like Labor Day, it can be confusing to try to remember which businesses are open and which are not. If you plan to go out on Monday, September 4, then it is a good idea to know what is open and what is closed. This will allow you to avoid wasting time by not going to places which will be closed. Below you’ll find a breakdown of which businesses will be open and closed for Labor Day:

Retail Stores

Drug Stores

Gas Stations

Grocery Stores

Restaurants

Federal, State and Local Government Offices

The Stock Market

Stock markets are closed. All stock markets in the United States will be close on Labor Day.

Credit Unions & Banks

Post Offices

Post offices are closed. All post offices will be closed and no mail will be delivered on September 4 in observance of Labor Day as it’s an official federal holiday.

Schools

Schools are closed. Federal holidays are generally observed by both private and public schools. Schools, if they have already started the new year, will be closed to observe Labor Day on Monday.

Libraries

Libraries are closed. Nearly all libraries observe federal holidays and will be closed in observance of Labor Day.

Garbage Services

(Photo courtesy of Robert Couse-Baker)

What’s Open and What’s Not on Memorial Day 2015

May 24, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain Leave a Comment

This article has been updated for 2015

Memorial Day weekend is here. With all holidays, it can get confusing about what is open and what’s not. If you’re planning on getting out of the house, there is a good chance that you will need to know what is open on Monday, May 25, so that you don’t go someplace only to find that it’s closed. Most retails stores will be open (with exceptions) and most government offices will be closed. Here’s a rundown of what will be open and what will be closed on Memorial Day 2015.

Retail Stores

Most large retail stores are open. The vast majority of major retail chain stores like Walmart, Target and Macy’s will be open on Memorial Day, with many having special sales over the entire holiday weekend. The one big exception is Costco which will be closed on Monday May 25 (here’s a list). If you do decide to go shopping, remember that a deal isn’t really a deal if it’s something that you would not have normally purchased.

Grocery Stores

Grocery stores are open. All major grocery store chains are open, but some of them may operate on holiday or Sunday hours (here’s a list). If you are planning a visit in the evening, you may want to call to make sure that they are open and don’t close early for the holiday.

Drug Stores

Drug stores are open. The three major drugstore chains (Walgreens, Rite Aid, and CVS Caremark) will be open on Monday. If you usually go to a local, independent drugstore, you should call to confirm whether or not they will be open, and if they will have special holiday hours.

Government Offices (Federal, State and Local)

Government offices are closed. All non-essential government offices will be closed for Memorial Day since it’s a federal holiday. This includes government offices from the federal to the local level. The exceptions are government offices that are deemed vital to safety and security. For example, social security offices, court houses and motor vehicles offices will all be closed while airline police departments and fire stations will be running.

Stock Market

Stock markets are closed. All the stock markets in the US do not run on Memorial Day and will be closed.

Banks and Credit Unions

Banks and credit unions are closed. Banks and credit unions will be closed on Monday May 25 for Memorial Day. It’s typical that financial institutions close on federal holidays like this, and we aren’t aware of any that will be open.

Despite the physical branches being closed for the day, you can still access your account online. You can also do some financial transactions at the bank’s ATMs. It’s important to note that if you do a transaction on a holiday, it may take until the next business day to arrive for the transaction to be completed.

Post Offices

Post offices are closed. As an official federal holiday, all post offices will be closed. There will also be no mail delivery on May 25.

Schools

Schools are closed. Both public and private schools usually observe federal holidays, and they will be closed to observe the holiday.

Libraries

Libraries are closed. Most libraries observe federal holidays, so they will be closed for the day.

Garbage Service

Garbage service is closed. If your garbage pickup is usually on a Monday, it won’t be picked up in most cities and towns on Monday, May 25. Most cities will have garbage pickup rescheduled for Tuesday, May 26, but check with your garbage service to make sure, because there are some exceptions.

Restaurants

In most cases, restaurants are open. Major chain restaurants should be open for Memorial Day. If you are planning to dine at an independently owned restaurant, it makes sense to call to verify they will be open.

Gas Stations

Gas stations are open. Most gas stations will be open on Memorial Day to cater to the vacation traffic coming home. If there is a particular gas station that is closed, there should be plenty of others in the area which remain open. If your gas station isn’t open 24 hours, then they may be on Sunday or holiday hours, rather than normal Monday hours.

(Photo courtesy of Jason Corey)

What’s Open and What’s Not on Memorial Day 2017

May 24, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain Leave a Comment

This article has been updated for 2017

Memorial Day weekend is here. With all holidays, it can get confusing about what is open and what’s not. If you’re planning on getting out of the house, there is a good chance that you will need to know what is open on Monday, May 29, so that you don’t go someplace only to find that it’s closed. Most retail stores will be open (with exceptions) and most government offices will be closed. Here’s a rundown of what will be open and what will be closed on Memorial Day 2017.

Retail Stores

Most large retail stores are open. The vast majority of major retail chain stores like Walmart, Target and Macy’s will be open on Memorial Day, with many having special sales over the entire holiday weekend. The one big exception is Costco which will be closed on Monday May 29 (here’s a list). If you do decide to go shopping, remember that a deal isn’t really a deal if it’s something that you would not have normally purchased.

Grocery Stores

Drug Stores

Government Offices (Federal, State and Local)

Government offices are closed. All non-essential government offices will be closed for Memorial Day since it’s a Federal holiday. This includes government offices from the Federal to the local level. The exceptions are government offices that are deemed vital to safety and security. For example, social security offices, court houses and motor vehicles offices will all be closed while airline police departments and fire stations will be running.

Stock Market

Stock markets are closed. All the stock markets in the US do not run on Memorial Day and will be closed.

Banks and Credit Unions

Banks and credit unions are closed. Banks and credit unions will be closed on Monday May 29 for Memorial Day. It’s typical that financial institutions close on Federal holidays like this, and we aren’t aware of any that will be open.

Post Offices

Post offices are closed. As an official Federal holiday, all post offices will be closed. There will also be no mail delivery on May 29.

Schools

Schools are closed. Both public and private schools usually observe federal holidays, and they will be closed to observe the holiday.

Libraries

Libraries are closed. Most libraries observe Federal holidays, so they will be closed for the day.

Garbage Service

Garbage service is closed. If your garbage pickup is usually on a Monday, it won’t be picked up in most cities and towns on Monday, May 29. Most cities will have garbage pickup rescheduled for Tuesday, May 30, but check with your garbage service to make sure, because there are some exceptions.

Restaurants

Gas Stations

(Photo courtesy of Jason Corey)

Your Library Makes you as Happy as a $2000 Raise

April 25, 2014 By Jeffrey Strain 1 Comment

There are a ton of great reasons to go to your local library, but here’s a new and compelling reason to visit your library more often. The United Kingdom’s Department for Culture, Media & Sport recently commissioned a study (PDF) to look at the various ways that “cultural engagement” affects the overall well-being of people. The results from the study found there was a significant association between well-being gained and people who went to the library on a regular basis. The positive effects were so great that it was the equivalent of receiving a $2,282 (£1,359) raise at work.

The study did note that more research needs to be done as it’s not clear which is the cause and which is the effect. That is, do happy people simply go to the library more often than others, or does going to the library make people happier? No matter what the direction is for the happiness, going gives you a wonderful way to stimulate your curiosity at no cost.

This comes at a time when libraries are going through a lot of change. As a recent article at Slate points out, in the not so recent past, a library without books would have been unthinkable, but it now appears that this will one day be inevitable. Despite the pains that come about with adapting to the digital age, the library continues to be a wonderful oasis of information that can save you quite a bit of money. Here are a few other ways that you may not have ever considered that a library can be quite beneficial to you (and your pocketbook).

A Comfortable Place

If you live in an area where it gets cold in the winter and hot in the summer, your library can be a wonderful oasis. It provides a climate controlled environment where you can work, study or relax throughout the day, oblivious to the weather outside. It has the added bonus that if you’re on a tight budget, you don’t have to worry about the cost of heating your house in the winter, or cooling it in the summer during the day.

Entertainment for Kids

Another wonderful aspect of the library is that it can give you some free time to yourself when you are raising kids. Trips to the library can be exciting adventures for the kids, and they can spend time on their own picking out books that they want to read, then find a corner and begin reading the books they have chosen, giving you some quality time to yourself. Some larger libraries actually have kid readings and other activities where you can leave your child while you take some needed time for yourself.

Further Education

There is an assumption that further education requires you to attend college classes, but there couldn’t be anything farther from the truth. If you have an interest in learning something, your local library has a huge amount of resources which can help you just as well as any class you need to pay to attend. Yes, you will need to take a bit more of the initiative, but at the same time, you can cater your learning to exactly what it is you want to learn more about.

These are just a few examples of how a library can be a lot more than just books, and actually bring happiness to those who visit. If you haven’t been to your local library in awhile, it would be well worthwhile to stop by and explore a bit. It might even make you a bit happier.

(Photo courtesy of timetrax23)