Libraries Turn to Rental Policy for Bestsellers : Budget: Support groups buy extra copies of popular books to raise money for branches that have no funds for purchases.

Maxine Mulherin is not playing the waiting game for Rush Limbaugh’s new book.

Rather than shelling out $22 at a bookstore or waiting months for a free copy to filter through the Los Angeles County library system, Mulherin paid 50 cents a day to read the conservative political commentator’s collection of essays, “The Way Things Ought to Be.” And she is not the only reader who is paying instead of waiting.

At Angelo M. Iacoboni Library in Lakewood, where readers can check out thousands of books free, patrons like Mulherin are gladly renting the popular books they can’t wait to get.

Cash-starved Los Angeles County libraries are asking patrons to rent best-selling novels and nonfiction in an effort to raise money for books and magazines.

Iacoboni established its collection of rental books in August. Norwalk Regional Library started renting 100 best-selling hardbacks last week. And by the end of December, bestsellers also will be rented at county libraries in La Mirada and Bellflower.

“Since the budget cuts, we don’t nearly have the books we used to have,” Mulherin said, holding Limbaugh’s collection of essays. “I’m on the waiting list now for . . . “ She shook her head. “You know, it’s been so long, I forgot.”

Officials say county budget cuts have left libraries with far less money than in the past for new materials.

No new books have been bought with county money since June. The only money available for new materials has come from private donors and organizations such as the Friends of the Library.

Two years ago, the county library system earmarked $8.1 million to purchase new books, videotapes and audiovisual materials. Then last year, the budget plummeted to $3 million. In July, county officials scrapped it altogether.

New books were not the only casualty of budget cuts that shaved off half of the $63-million budget. Library operating hours were cut by 60%, leaving most libraries open only two to four days a week.

“There’s not enough money to supply the services that people need,” Iacoboni Manager Donna Walters said. The Iacoboni library’s budget for new books dropped from $30,000 a year to zero. The library used to be open seven days a week, but now it is open only four.

As a result of the cuts, a smaller number of new books circulate among 1.2 million borrowers countywide, resulting in months-long backlogs of requests and lots of frustrated patrons, officials said.

More than 1,100 patrons around the county are on a waiting list for John Grisham’s “The Client.” Last year, the county would have bought at least 300 copies of such a popular book. This year, because of the cutbacks, it has 175 copies, most of them purchased before funds dwindled.

The county has only 11 copies of Larry McMurtry’s “Streets of Laredo,” said Phyllis Young, who manages the materials budget for the library system. Already the wait for the book is more than six months.

At Norwalk Regional Library, reference librarian Patty Banuilos said readers are fed up with waiting for their favorite authors. “Some of them, like Tom Clancy’s book, have 600 people waiting,” she said.

The growing backlog of requests for bestsellers is the main reason Friends of the Library stepped in to help out, donating money to buy books for the rental collections. The system cuts down on waiting lists because rental books do not circulate throughout the library system but only among patrons of a branch library.

Friends of the Lakewood Libraries, for example, donated $1,000 to the Iacoboni library to purchase about 100 bestsellers by the likes of Sue Grafton, Michael Crichton, John le Carre and Clancy.

The library set up a special shelf in the lobby where patrons can rent the hottest new books. Readers are charged only for days the library is open.

When demand for the bestsellers falls off, the books will be retired to the library’s permanent stacks where readers may check them out free.

Some Friends of the Library volunteers say they are dismayed that public libraries are reduced to charging fees.

But Jane Vidal, president of La Mirada Friends of the Library, argued that the charges are justified because “the libraries are in dire straits.” The La Mirada group will start a rental collection at the end of November.

Rental collections were used in previous hard times to cope with empty coffers.

After the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978, county libraries lost revenue to the tax revolt. Friends of the La Mirada Library donated money for a rental collection that generated revenue for the library for about six years, until funding from the county increased.

La Mirada volunteers hope to raise $3,000 from a book sale later this month. They intend to purchase 100 to 200 bestsellers for the library, Vidal said.

“If we can’t get a permanent budget, the rental collection could become a permanent fixture up there at the library,” she said. That means rental collections will be relying on more funds from private donors this year, she added.

Last year, for example, Friends of the Library organizations contributed about $251,000 to the county. Friends of the Library officials say they have stepped up their fund-raising to generate more money.

County officials had hoped that a new law would allow local governments to levy taxes to run libraries. But Gov. Pete Wilson vetoed the bill. If other sources of revenue are not found, the county may have to close 43 libraries, including 13 of the 27 libraries located in the Southeast area, early next year.

New Library Hours

Los Angeles County Public Library branches have curtailed hours because of budget cuts. Here are the hours for libraries in the Southeast area.

Library Mon. Tues. Wed. Thurs. Fri. Sat. ALONDRA 11949 E. Alondra Blvd., Norwalk Closed Closed 12-8 Closed 11-5 Closed ARTESIA 18722 S. Clarkdale Ave., Artesia Closed 12-8 Closed 12-6 Closed Closed A.C. BILBREW 150 E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles Closed 12-8 Closed 12-8 Closed 12-5 BELL 4411 E. Gage Ave., Bell 1-8 Closed Closed 1-8 Closed Closed BELL GARDENS 7110 S. Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens Closed 1-8 Closed 1-8 10-5 Closed CLIFTON M. BRAKENSIEK 9945 E. Flower St., Bellflower Closed 12-8 12-6 Closed Closed 10-5 COMPTON 240 W. Compton Blvd., Compton 12-8 12-8 1-8 Closed Closed 12-5 CUDAHY 5218 Santa Ana St., Cudahy Closed 11-6 Closed Closed Closed 10-5 EAST RANCHO DOMINGUEZ 4205 E. Compton Blvd., Compton Closed Closed 12-7 Closed 10-5 Closed HAWAIIAN GARDENS 12100 E. Carson St., Hawaiian Gardens Closed Closed 12-7 Closed Closed 10-5 CHET HOLIFIELD 1060 S. Greenwood Ave., Montebello Closed Closed 12-7 Closed 10-5 Closed HOLLYDALE 12000 S. Garfield Ave., South Gate Closed 12-8 Closed Closed 11-5 Closed HUNTINGTON PARK 6518 Miles Ave., Huntington Park 1-8 1-8 11-6 Closed Closed 10-5 ANGELO M. IACOBONI 4990 Clark Ave., Lakewood 1-8 1-8 Closed 1-8 Closed 10-5 LA MIRADA 13800 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada 12-8 Closed Closed 12-8 Closed 12-5 LOS NIETOS 11644 E. Slauson Ave., Whittier 11-6 Closed 11-6 Closed Closed Closed LYNWOOD 11320 Bullis Road, Lynwood Closed 12-8 Closed 12-6 Closed 10-5 MAYWOOD 4323 E. Slauson Ave., Maywood Closed 1-8 Closed Closed 10-5 Closed MONTEBELLO 1550 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello 1-8 1-8 Closed 11-6 Closed 10-5 NORWALK 12350 Imperial Highway, Norwalk 12-8 12-8 Closed 11-6 Closed 12-5 GEORGE NYE JR. 6600 Del Amo Blvd., Lakewood Closed Closed 12-8 Closed 11-5 Closed PARAMOUNT 16254 Colorado Ave., Paramount 12-8 Closed Closed 12-6 Closed Closed PICO RIVERA 9001 Mines Ave., Pico Rivera Closed 1-8 Closed 11-6 Closed 10-5 RIVERA 7828 S. Serapis Ave., Pico Rivera Closed Closed 1-8 Closed 10-5 Closed SOUTH WHITTIER 14433 Leffingwell Road, Whittier Closed 12-8 Closed Closed 11-5 Closed LELAND R. WEAVER 4035 Tweedy Blvd., South Gate 12-8 Closed 12-8 11-6 Closed 12-5 WILLOWBROOK 11838 Wilmington Ave., Los Angeles Closed Closed 12-7 Closed 10-5 Closed

Library Sun. ALONDRA 11949 E. Alondra Blvd., Norwalk Closed ARTESIA 18722 S. Clarkdale Ave., Artesia Closed A.C. BILBREW 150 E. El Segundo Blvd., Los Angeles Closed BELL 4411 E. Gage Ave., Bell Closed BELL GARDENS 7110 S. Garfield Ave., Bell Gardens Closed CLIFTON M. BRAKENSIEK 9945 E. Flower St., Bellflower Closed COMPTON 240 W. Compton Blvd., Compton Closed CUDAHY 5218 Santa Ana St., Cudahy Closed EAST RANCHO DOMINGUEZ 4205 E. Compton Blvd., Compton Closed HAWAIIAN GARDENS 12100 E. Carson St., Hawaiian Gardens Closed CHET HOLIFIELD 1060 S. Greenwood Ave., Montebello Closed HOLLYDALE 12000 S. Garfield Ave., South Gate Closed HUNTINGTON PARK 6518 Miles Ave., Huntington Park Closed ANGELO M. IACOBONI 4990 Clark Ave., Lakewood Closed LA MIRADA 13800 La Mirada Blvd., La Mirada Closed LOS NIETOS 11644 E. Slauson Ave., Whittier Closed LYNWOOD 11320 Bullis Road, Lynwood Closed MAYWOOD 4323 E. Slauson Ave., Maywood Closed MONTEBELLO 1550 W. Beverly Blvd., Montebello Closed NORWALK 12350 Imperial Highway, Norwalk Closed GEORGE NYE JR. 6600 Del Amo Blvd., Lakewood Closed PARAMOUNT 16254 Colorado Ave., Paramount Closed PICO RIVERA 9001 Mines Ave., Pico Rivera Closed RIVERA 7828 S. Serapis Ave., Pico Rivera Closed SOUTH WHITTIER 14433 Leffingwell Road, Whittier Closed LELAND R. WEAVER 4035 Tweedy Blvd., South Gate Closed WILLOWBROOK 11838 Wilmington Ave., Los Angeles Closed

Source: County officials