Perry County Library Branches Closed Monday, Jan. 19 for MLK Day

Perry County Public Library will close its Tell City and Cannelton branches Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The library posted the holiday notice on its official events page to inform patrons and branch users of the full-day closure.

The closure affects in-person access to both branches for the federal holiday, which is observed on the third Monday in January. Staff will not be available at the Tell City and Cannelton locations for circulation, reference help, computer use, or on-site programming during the closure. The library’s event page also points readers to the site’s listings for branch hours and regular programming schedules for planning future visits.

For Perry County residents, the one-day shutdown has practical consequences. Rural and small-town libraries function as community hubs that provide free internet access, homework support, job application assistance, and meeting space. A full-day closure interrupts those services for families, students and job seekers who rely on the library as an affordable alternative to home broadband or private tutoring. Businesses and nonprofit groups that schedule meetings or classes at branch meeting rooms will need to reschedule or relocate events planned for Monday.

From a policy perspective, the closure reflects standard public-sector observance of a federal holiday established in 1986 to honor the civil-rights leader. Libraries and other government-funded services typically balance holiday observance with the public’s need for continuity. In a broader sense, temporary closures underscore the ongoing policy trade-offs that local governments face when calibrating staff schedules, collective-bargaining obligations and service continuity in counties with limited public-sector budgets.

The notice comes as a reminder of long-term trends shaping small public libraries: increasing demand for digital services, constrained operating hours in tight fiscal environments, and the role of libraries as social infrastructure in rural economies. For residents who depend on the library for access to online job portals, digital literacy classes, or children’s programming, even a single-day closure can require alternative arrangements that carry small but real economic costs.

Patrons who need services beyond today’s closure are encouraged to consult the library’s website for updated hours and programming schedules. As branches observe the holiday, the practical next step for local residents is to plan appointments and deadlines around branch hours and to use the library’s posted information to reschedule any programs affected by the closure.