Earlier this afternoon D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty made his first public appearance in several days (since re-injuring his fractured foot) to announce that he had secured funding to keep the D.C. Public Library system open full-time.

Last week DCPL head Ginnie Cooper said that staff budget reductions would force the library system to shutter its branches on Fridays and reduce hours on other weekdays. At the time, Mayor Fenty said he was committed to locating the funding to keep the libraries open. Today he said he had secured the approximately $2 million needed to keep DCPL open seven days a week from debt service savings.

“Residents can rest assured that they can continue to access all of D.C. Public Library’s resources seven days a week next year,” Fenty said.

D.C. Wire also reports that Fenty appeared to be having some pain in his hand and arms due to his fall off of his bicycle last week. Fenty said he wasn’t sure now that he’d be able to participate in the Nation’s Triathlon on Sept. 14.

Photo by Sexy Fitsum