Hours at 2 Library Branches Extended

Ventura County Library officials have decided to extend the hours of the Camarillo and Simi Valley libraries by four hours a week, saying the size of the libraries and the population of the two cities warrants the extra hours.

At the same time, a $22,000 donation by the Ojai City Council will allow the library branch in Ojai to more than double its hours for the next nine months.

Responding to an order by the Board of Supervisors, county library officials adjusted the schedules of community libraries to make the cutback in hours more equitable, said Al Langville, the director of community libraries. The 14-branch library system reduced hours at its branches to compensate for the loss of 34% of its budget over the past two years.

“We’ve made the attempt to equalize services in the largest cities we serve,” Langville said.

Under the supervisors’ order, county library officials extended the hours in Simi Valley and Camarillo libraries so the branches will be open noon to 8 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Saturdays.

To accommodate the extra hours, county officials transferred administrative staff members to the two libraries to bolster their personnel, Langville said.

Faced with reduced hours of operation, the Ojai City Council voted to subsidize the county library branch with $22,000 to provide 26 more hours a week through June. The library will now be open 46 hours a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.