Community Help Sought for Libraries : Finances: County officials urge residents to find ways for the system to survive anticipated round of state budget cuts.

Hoping to tap the community spirit that has emerged after last month’s earthquake, Ventura County leaders Thursday called on residents to help their local libraries survive this year’s anticipated wave of budget cuts.

County supervisors told library officials and library boosters that they would not be able to bail out the county’s libraries again this year if the 15-branch system is shortchanged by the state Legislature.

Two county branches, in Simi Valley and Fillmore, suffered about $500,000 in damage from the Northridge quake. Library officials hope that the needed repairs will be covered by insurance and federal disaster relief funds so the branches can reopen soon.

In Thousand Oaks, the city-owned library was also devastated by the Jan. 17 quake, and city officials there believe that insurance and federal funds will pay for most of the needed $2 million in repairs. But they anticipate a shortfall of as much as $250,000 and have formed the Library Restoration Committee that will meet Wednesday to consider funding options.

At a meeting in the Camarillo Library on Thursday, county officials said they hope that the volunteerism sparked by the earthquake will encourage more county residents to support their libraries.

“I think that because of the earthquake . . . it will even more sharply focus the need for the public to rally in support,” County Supervisor Maggie Kildee said.

A group of library staff and boosters agreed to form a countywide steering committee that would organize innovative ways to inspire more community contributions.

Some of the suggestions raised at Thursday’s meeting included creating an adopt-a-library program for businesses and individuals to sponsor libraries, advertising the benefits of libraries to encourage more contributions, combining school and public libraries when necessary, and rewarding children who introduce adults to libraries.

“I think the biggest challenge we have is turning what we said here into action,” Kildee told the 40-member audience.

Participants in the meeting were passionate about getting control or “ownership” of their libraries.

“People have been taking the libraries for granted and now that the funding base has eroded, they panic,” said Ross Hildebrandt, member of the San Buenaventura Friends of the Library. “The way to solve that is to take it over ourselves. Public libraries have to be owned by the public.”

County officials, who face another tough round of budget-cutting, welcomed the idea of greater community involvement.

They presented a pessimistic forecast of the share of state dollars that the Legislature will direct to libraries. Last year, the Legislature cut $3.3 million from the county library budget, forcing a dramatic reduction in hours of service at most branches.

In an unprecedented action, the Board of Supervisors helped the library system by diverting $1.6 million from the general fund.

“What I suggest to you is solving of libraries’ problems cannot be through the county,” said Richard Wittenberg, county chief administrative officer. “Frankly, I think it has to be done locally. We can’t wait for the state.”

Supervisor Vicki Howard said the goal should be to focus on “do-able ideas” to help supplement library budgets. “I’m looking at what’s happened to us this year--we’re not out of the hole financially,” she said.

Cathy Penprase, a member of the California Library Assn.’s legislative committee, said county residents have to realize the importance of public libraries.

“They are an essential service in a democracy, and they should be required, like public education,” she said. “It’s extremely important we give people of all ages a chance at self-education. I just don’t see that you can drop that. There has to be a way to keep this going.”