WORDS AND IMAGES : Library Has Friends in Time of Need : * Volunteers in Camarillo raise money for new building and books to help offset the effects of reduced budgets.

The Friends of the Camarillo Library newsletter contains some wonderful and some alarming news that should be shared with a wider audience. The generous people of Camarillo and dedicated Friends volunteers sponsored a giant book sale in April that earned almost $17,000. Out of this sum, the Friends will donate $4,000 to the building fund for a new library and provide $1,300 a month for the purchase of new adult books and $800 a month for children’s books.

The bad news is that the Ventura County library district is still planning drastic budget reductions that would affect all library services. For example, Camarillo would have to reduce staff from 12 to six people, cut back on services, including children’s programs, and reduce library hours from 54 to 28 hours a week. Sound the alarm, friends and neighbors. I know it’s hard to arouse passion for libraries but contemplate the results of our silence.

We’ll end with good news. Los Aficionados a La Lectura is the name of a new book club organized by Camarillo Library Friends. Biography is the category for the next meeting at 1 p.m. Tuesday in the Adolfo Room, 3100 Ponderosa Drive. Just show up. Join the Friends and participate.

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For years we read a handful of women mystery writers who achieved enormous success by creating charming gentlemen detectives. P. D. James’ Inspector Dagliesh; Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot (OK, credit her with Miss Marple); Dorothy Sayers’ Lord Peter Wimsey to name a few. Now however, books written by women, about women in jeopardy and female crime solvers, are rushed into print and quickly grabbed up by a voracious public. You can meet two writers riding the new wave at Mysteries to Die For, 2940 Thousand Oaks Blvd. Sue Dunlap will sign her latest Jill Smith mystery “Time Expired” at noon Friday, and Taffy Cannon, whose “Pocketful of Karma” introduces sleuth Nan Robinson, will read from her new novel at 1 p.m. Saturday.

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Hear a new generation of poets at the Oxnard High School Poetry Festival sponsored by the Arcade Poetry Project at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Performance Studio, 34 N. Palm St., Ventura. Call 658-7045.

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The Ojai Film Society will screen the award-winning Mexican movie “Danzon” directed by Maria Novaro at 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the Ojai Playhouse, 145 E. Ojai Ave. Call 646-8946.

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Your 1992 tax return is probably tucked away in the IRS computers, or perhaps you’ve filed for an extension. In either case, Raymond Netzley, a Simi Valley CPA who heads the federal income tax department at Unocal Corp., will talk about taxes and freelance writers at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Ventura County Writers Club, Pleasant Valley Church, 1101 Ponderosa Drive, Camarillo. Call 642-6130.

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Cork Millner, author of “Write from the Start,” will conduct a Writing and Selling Nonfiction workshop from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 15 at UCSB Ventura Center, 3585 Maple St. Register by Monday. Call 644-7261.