All the Talk in Libraries Is of Cuts in Hours : Budget: As of July 1, facilities will be closed Fridays, with some open less than half the time they are now. Some patrons are ready to throw the book at county.

A local author and celebrity of sorts at the Mesa Verde Branch Library, Jean Femling, is the kind of person whose passion for books can spark open celebration for a successful search in the book catalogue.

So nobody should be surprised if Femling becomes a bit agitated when the conversation turns to Orange County’s budget woes and plans that would curtail operating hours at the county’s 27 branch libraries by a whopping 44%.

“Libraries are like apple pie and motherhood,” said Femling, during a break in research on her fourth mystery novel. “You are talking about cutting something so basic that it is stunning.”

Nevertheless, the county’s 800,000 library card holders will be put on notice this week that, beginning July 1, their libraries will be shut down every Friday, with some branches cutting their hours by more than half.

“I have tried to imagine it,” said Gladys Lorenzo, head librarian at Mesa Verde, where service will be cut by two days each week. “I think there will be some pretty irate people as a result of this. They will demand to know why this is happening.”

It is happening because officials have assigned the library system a $3.8-million share of needed budgets cuts that total $80 million countywide.

For Orange County, the total loss could be unprecedented, County Administrative Officer Ernie Schneider said. Reductions to local government this year promise to cut even deeper than last year, based on the state’s plan to shift $2.6 billion in local revenues to pay for schools.

Although the Board of Supervisors has yet to vote on the recommended library cuts, John Adams, the county’s chief librarian, already has distributed a new schedule of operating hours to each branch in the system.

“There is nothing we can do,” said Diane Gayton, head librarian at the Mary Wilson branch in Seal Beach, where hours will be cut by three days. “This is a heck of a way to run any big organization. One year, things seem to be adequate. The next year, your budget is cut in half. Individuals couldn’t live this way. For librarians, it’s going to be very hard to say, ‘Sorry, we can’t help you today.’ ”

Librarians are only joining a chorus of government officials who have long lamented dramatic cuts. It has become a familiar--if not annual--cry as bureaucrats lobby to keep their departments healthy.

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This year, however, Lorenzo said the pleas should not be interpreted as crying wolf.

“People have heard government make these claims before,” Lorenzo said, adding that even her own circle of friends have had trouble believing the reports of future closures. “I told them you better bet your sweet bippy it’s going to happen this time.”

For the dozens, who like Femling roamed the quiet Mesa Verde book stacks last week, news of future limited access to both information and solitude brought a mixture of surprise and sadness.

Alone at one of many work tables, 28-year-old Vincent Duong was immersed in computer manuals, hoping that his study would help him land an accounting job after six months without work.

“I didn’t know this was going to happen,” Duong said of the county’s plans. “Books are life. (Libraries) give people a chance to explore anything they want and you don’t have to spend a lot of money. In my own experience, I never really started using them until maybe a few years ago. I guess the older you get the more in touch you are with yourself and what you want to learn.”

Femling, a member of the branch’s Friends of the Library support group, said budget impacts are likely to hit hardest in the fall when students return to school.

“Because of other funding losses, many schools have lost their own school libraries,” Femling said. “Of all the people who need the library, the students need it most. . . . It’s devastating.”

Because of its very location, flanked by Coastline Community College on one side and Prince of Peace Church School out its front door, students have become particularly dependent on Mesa Verde as a place for after-school and evening study. With evening operations cut by about eight hours each week, Lorenzo said, the students will have to find other resources.

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In Seal Beach, 69-year-old John Stewart may easily qualify as a connoisseur of area libraries. Newspaper stock reports scattered about on the table before him at the Mary Wilson branch, Stewart figures he spends at least eight to 10 hours per week in the library scanning magazines, newspapers or merely enjoying the solitude.

“When people come up and see the doors closed to a place like this, I think they will be shocked,” the retired shipyard worker said, stroking his white beard. “What man could ask for a more peaceful place? It’s quiet and so clean. Oh, yeah, I enjoy it here.”

By Monday, Lorenzo believes, she will begin hearing a stream of complaints from patrons as news leaks out about the hours of operation.

“We will be prepared to tell them why it is happening,” Lorenzo said from her seat behind the reference desk. “We’re not promoting a revolution, but if people want to know where to write or call, we have all the information right here.”

County Libraries Cut Back Hours

Orange County Public Library branches will have new hours beginning July 1. Here is the new arrangement.

CityLibraryMondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFridaySaturday City: Brea Library: One Civic Center Circle Telephone: (714) 671-1722 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: closed Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Costa Mesa Library: COSTA MESA, 1855 Park Ave. Telephone: (714) 646-8845 Monday: noon-8p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: noon-8p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. City: Costa Mesa Library: MESA VERDE, 2969 Mesa Verde Dr. Telephone: (714) 546-5274 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-6 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Cypress Library: 5331 Orange Ave. Telephone: (714) 826-0350 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: closed Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Dana Point Library: 33841 Niguel Road Telephone: (714) 496-5517 Monday: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Fountain Valley Library: 17635 Los Alamos St. Telephone: (714) 962-1324 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: closed Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Garden Grove Library: CHAPMAN, 9182 Chapman Ave. Telephone: (714) 539-2115 Monday: closed Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-6 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Garden Grove Library: REGIONAL, 11200 Stanford Ave. Telephone: (714) 530-0711 Monday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Garden Grove Library: WEST GARDEN GROVE, 11962 Bailey St. Telephone: (714)897-2594 Monday: noon-6 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Irvine Library: HERITAGE PARK REGIONAL, 14361 Yale Telephone: (714) 551-7151 Monday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Irvine Library: UNIVERSITY PARK, 4512 Sandburg Way Telephone: (714) 786-4001 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Lake Forest Library: EL TORO, 24672 Raymond Way Telephone: (714) 855-8173 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: closed Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Laguna Beach Library: 363 Glenneyre St. Telephone: (714) 497-1733 Monday: closed Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Laguna Niguel Library: CROWN VALLEY, 30341 Crown Valley Pkwy. Telephone: (714) 249-5252 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: La Habra Library: 221 E. La Habra Blvd. Telephone: (310) 694-0078 or (714) 526-7728 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: La Palma Library: 7842 Walker St. Telephone: (714) 523-8585 Monday: closed Tuesday: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Mission Viejo Library: 24851 Chrisanta Dr. Telephone: (714) 830-7100 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: San Clemente Library: 242 Avenida Del Mar Telephone: (714) 492-3493 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: closed Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: San Juan Capistrano Library: REGIONAL, 31495 El Camino Real Telephone: (714) 493-1752 Monday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Seal Beach Library: LOS ALAMITOS/ROSSMOOR 12700 Montecito Telephone: (310) 430-1048 or (714) 846-3240 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: noon-8 p.m. Wednesday: noon-6 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Seal Beach Library: LEISURE WORLD 2300 Beverly Manor Road Telephone: (310) 598-2431 or (714) 840-4971 Monday: closed Tuesday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Seal Beach Library: MARY WILSON, 707 Electric Ave. Telephone: (310) 431-3584 or (714) 840-6759 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: closed Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Silverado Library: 28192 Silverado Canyon Road Telephone: (714) 649-2216 Monday: closed Tuesday: 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday: 2 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Stanton Library: 7850 Katella Ave. Telephone: (714) 898-3302 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: noon-6 p.m. Thursday: noon-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Tustin Library: 345 E. Main St. Telephone: (714) 544-7725 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: Villa Park Library: Civic Center, 17865 Santiago Blvd. Telephone: (714) 998-0861 Monday: 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday: closed Wednesday: 1 p.m.-8 p.m. Thursday: 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Friday: closed Saturday: closed City: Westminster Library: 8180 13th St. Telephone: (714) 893-5057 Monday: noon-8 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Wednesday: noon-8 p.m. Thursday: closed Friday: closed Saturday: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. City: County Archives Library: 211 W. Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana Telephone: (714) 834-5577 Monday: 9 a.m.-noon / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday: 9 a.m.-noon / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday: 9 a.m.-noon / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Thursday: 9 a.m.-noon / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Friday: 9 a.m.-noon / 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Saturday: closed Source: Orange County Public Library