Barrio Library Is Still in Doubt Despite State Grant

Born in controversy, a plan to provide special library service to Carlsbad’s barrio residents--many of whom have never been inside a library--has won state funding but still must get City Council approval.

City library officials this week received a $40,000 check from the state library, money they hope to spend on opening a tiny satellite operation for the Latino community.

But council acceptance of the grant is by no means automatic. When they voted to apply for the funding, council members made it clear that acceptance would depend on how much the grant might require the city to chip in.

The grant is less than the $157,000 Carlsbad applied for, but local officials say that, if the program gets started, the state library is willing to give additional funding over a five-year period.

“They said, ‘Let’s start slowly and we’ll commit ourselves to five years,’ ” said Geoffrey Armour, assistant library director.

What that means, if the council accepts the grant, is a unique effort to reach the estimated 4,529 residents of the barrio who live near the city’s main library on Elm Avenue east of Interstate 5, but, culturally, seem miles away.

Many Latinos are conditioned not to use the library, largely because in Mexico, the library is used exclusively for university study and not casual or recreational use.

“Our ultimate goal is to get them to come here (to the main library) and have the right things for them here,” said Library Director Clifford Lange.

Word of the state grant has delighted Latino activists who last May formed a coalition to encourage bringing the library closer to the city’s Latino community.

Maria Valenzuela, a coalition member and a part-time Carlsbad library worker, said, “I’m really excited about the program. I know there’s a need. I’d like to mainstream people into the library.”

She regards the grant as a sign of progress, especially since the city “has really never offered or gone out of their way to serve the Hispanic population.”

She and library officials believe a satellite operation would make Latinos familiar with library service and entice them to the main library. After meetings with the coalition, Lange and Armour envision the operation serving primarily as an information center.

Staffed by a bilingual person, the so-called Centro de Informacion would offer some books, but emphasize brochures and pamphlets to guide Latinos in locating medical and legal assistance, find English classes, figure out how to fill out tax forms and apply for a driver’s license.

The material, Armour said, will focus on “basic coping, self-help and survival” information.

Although obtaining the state grant is a big step, the subject of special library service for Latinos was initially stalled in controversy.

Latino activists were angered last July when Assistant City Manager Frank Mannen decided against putting the grant application on the council agenda. Mannen said then that there wasn’t enough time before the grant application deadline to determine whether the city eventually would be financially responsible for continuing the program.

Under pressure from Latinos, some of whom charged the city with racism, the council voted the night before the deadline to seek the grant. But the council reserved the right to give back the money if the program required too large a city subsidy.

Ofelia Escobedo, an activist and business owner in the barrio, is confident that the council will accept the grant when it is brought up for approval on the Dec. 11 agenda.

“I think they’ll go for it,” said Escobedo.

However, it’s too soon to tell how the council will vote on accepting the grant, as the city staff hasn’t completed a report on whether the new library service could affect the city budget.

Mayor Pro Tem Ann Kulchin said, “I hate to say it sounds wonderful until I’ve got all the information in my hands.”

There’s certain to be financial uncertainty over the grant because the state library has promised future funding, but not indicated how much Carlsbad will get, Armour said. Although the state awards the grants, the money is actually from federal sources.

He said state library officials decided, based on past experience, that cities seldom use the full first-year grant. So they approved smaller grants to cover first year expenses.