Don’t Mug the County Library System : Los Angeles: Drastic proposed cuts would further wound a population where 1 out of 5 adults is illiterate.

Will Los Angeles sit idly by while one of its crown jewels--its county public library system--is shipped to the emergency room with possibly fatal wounds?

Under the budget being considered by the county supervisors and the state Legislature, more than 50 branch libraries out of a total of 87 could be closed by August, denying services to millions of citizens who use the “people’s university” to improve their skills, learn English and literacy, read bestsellers and how-to books, and find serene places to study, think and dream in an often overwhelming world.

For the past decade, libraries have been the object of slow-acting poison in California as local jurisdictions use scarce funds to bolster police, fire and other safety services. In the past year alone, libraries across the state have lost 11% of their staff, have cut public hours by 14% and have slashed 25% of their book buying.

The L.A. County library system--which serves one out of every 10 Californians--has been even harder hit. It has been forced to close 10 of its libraries permanently. Of the 87 that remain, more than half are open only two days a week. Last year, libraries couldn’t buy a single book or subscribe to a single magazine. Even if money is found in the future, there will be gaps that can never be filled.

But the mugging that the supervisors and the state plan for the L.A. County Library is something new and horrifying. America went through the Great Depression without closing a single public library. In one year, our magnificent library system stands to lose 51 branches.

We call it mugging because--among other strengths--libraries have an important, little-understood role to play in preventing crime. According to a study soon to be released by Libraries for the Future, a national advocacy group for library users, and PEN Center USA West, the very services that libraries offer at a cost of less than $18 per year per person, can prevent lives of crime that result in costs to society of more than $25,000 per year per criminal held in jail.

What are these life rafts that libraries offer? Why are the county supervisors and the ultimate decision-maker, the state, thinking of throwing them on the budget-cutting floor? They are nothing very mysterious: literacy, job training, access to computers, help with homework and finding adults who care about children.

Consider these facts: In L.A. County, one out of every five adults is functionally illiterate. Almost one out of every six residents lives below the poverty level. Nearly one-third did not complete high school. Nationwide, 85% of juveniles who appear in court are unable to read.

What lies ahead for a county where so many people can’t read or comprehend even simple instructions? In 1993, 115,000 children took part in programs designed to introduce them to books and provide pre-reading skills. During that year, L.A. County Library offered reading programs to 250,000 school-age children.

In 1993, more than 5 million children’s books were borrowed by patrons of the L.A. County Library. In a 1992 survey, 44% of school-age children said they came to the library for homework, 23% came to check out materials and 19% came to read. More than 3,500 children per day use the library at the end of the day before their parents come home from work. Eighty percent are doing homework and 20% are seeking a safe haven.

If our elected officials are serious about rebuilding a strong Los Angeles that will have workers who can read, and safe places for motivated young people to study, they will find someplace else to cut the money. It costs about the price of a pair of movie tickets per year per county resident to restore these devastating cuts.