Don’t Stop the Friendly Stop : The Branch Library Serving Latino Immigrants in Orange Is at Risk but Needed

It is somehow fitting that the Friendly Stop library branch in Orange opened with the current young decade--a period that is certain to be notable for whatever achievements and disappointments it brings for Latino immigrants trying to enter mainstream American life.

The library was established in 1990 on a wing and a prayer, a city operation on school district land financed by federal, state and private grants. It has been nothing less than a jewel in the barrio of West-Central Orange, offering books, advice, and help with English and homework to a city’s expanding population of Latino teen-agers.

Nothing worth having comes easily, nor for that matter, is easily preserved. The money is running out and the relationship between the city and the school district that made possible the unique facility is frayed. Orange library officials are casting about for funding, and warn that the library is in danger of closing.

There is still time, but it is running out. The library’s $100,000 enabling federal grant expired this summer, but library officials obtained another one-year, $30,000 grant which ends on June 30. Friendly Stop began closing on Fridays two months ago because of city budget cuts.

The city and Orange Unified School District first must resolve their differences over the use of the building. While negotiations have been characterized as rocky, both sides must recognize the overarching city interest in having this matter resolved. It’s somewhat like the car repair ad on TV where the serviceman warns the customer, “You can pay me now or you can pay me later.” The city can help youngsters get off to the right start or it can deal with their problems in the future. A failure to intervene in a positive way now would be terribly shortsighted. It would only cost in human tragedy and financial resources down the road. A way must be found to keep the library open.