SUNDAY BRIEFING : An occasional look at Orange County issues : Checking Out Our Libraries

Newport Beach unveils its new central library today, at a time when many libraries countywide have reduced hours and are contemplating closing doors because of budget constraints. The new facility joins an existing network of 27 county and nine city-owned libraries. Not just repositories for books, all these libraries have their special niches and services.

Newport’s Newest Jewel

Situated on four acres, Newport Beach’s new $8.2-million facility is four times bigger than the current 14,000-square-foot library, which will become part of the Newport Harbor Art Museum complex. The new library has room to display a 300,000-plus piece collection.

Upper level

Information desk: Reference librarians answer work or pleasure-related questions, offer reading suggestions

Business area: Business-oriented materials including reference books and current issues of business magazines and newspapers

Reader printers: Machines that can display and print microfiche and microfilm materials

Microcomputers: Eight CD-ROM-based computers can access multiple computerized resources

Local history: Nearly 1,000 volumes on Orange County and Newport Beach history

Quiet reading area: For uninterrupted study and concentration

Copiers

Lower level

Children’s room: For toddlers through sixth-graders; listening and viewing center and picture book bins

Popular library: Current bestsellers, magazines, newspapers, videos, compact discs, books on tape; separate young adult section

Literacy services: For adult literacy students and volunteer tutors; four computers, compact discs, books on tape; separate young adult section

Meeting room: Seats 150 for adult programs, recitals, meetings, public events

Kitchen: Serves meeting and conference rooms

Bookstore: Sells used books

Story-time room: For children’s programs

Copiers and fax machine

Public computers, typewriters

Conference room

Restrooms

Main entrance

Size: 54,000 square feet; seating for more than 200 users

Parking: 220 spaces

How to Use a Library

Gone are the days when a library patron could find a book by thumbing through a file drawer crammed with 3x5 index cards categorized by author, title or subject. Now easy-to-use computers store all of a library’s holdings as part of a more efficient way to search for library materials. Two examples of how the library can work:

Great Mousse Hunt

John Smith hasn’t visited his neighborhood library in a while, but he is confident he can find a recipe for the perfect salmon mousse. All he needs to know is his Dewey Decimal System, right? Wrong! Here’s John’s search:

1. John uses on-line computer to search by subject; follows instructions leading him to cookbook section.

2. Looks at fish recipes in cookbooks, remembers recipe was in newspaper 10 years ago.

3. Info-Trac computer contains back newspaper issues; he finds recipe.

4. John prints article with recipe. He’s ready to whip up a beautiful salmon mousse.

Job Search

Tired of working at the corner coffee shop, Mary Jones knows what she really wants is to sell real estate. Not knowing the first thing about it, she goes to the nearest library. Steps she takes using the library’s on-line computer:

1. * Following instructions, she conducts subject search. Computer lists materials available at the Garden Grove Library.

2. * She reserves materials from the library via computer and gets them the following day at her neighborhood branch.

3. * Computer also directs her to microfilm collection where all magazine articles are kept.

4. * Computer supplies reel and frame number of article; she prints copy of article.

There to Serve

Some of the free programs and services offered by city and county libraries:

* Book delivery to the homebound * Adult lecture series * Storytelling for children * Bookmobiles * Literacy volunteer training and tutoring * On-line access to county recorder for purchasing birth, death and marriage documents * Multicultural performing arts programs * Community rooms for group meetings * Electronic catalogue accessible via home computer to search and reserve holdings * “Grandparents and Books” program in which older people read stories to children

Privileges and Pitfalls

Obtaining a card for the county library system is relatively simple. Details vary slightly among city libraries:

* Provide photo I.D. proving Orange County residence and complete an application.

* If 17 or younger, a parent or guardian must sign application assuming responsibility for non-returned or late materials.

* Cards must be renewed every three years.

* County card works at any branch of the system.

* For substantially overdue items, borrower’s name is submitted to a collection agency.

* If item is not returned, borrower must pay the cost plus any fines.

* If unreturned item is never paid for, borrower’s name is submitted to TRW credit bureau.

Inquiring Minds

Reference librarians in the 36 libraries answered more than 4 million questions in 1992-93--the rough equivalent of more than 400 every hour of every day of the year. Questions that can’t be answered are referred to the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, an agency libraries contract with to find answers. The five city or county libraries answering the most questions in 1992-93:

Huntington Beach: 371,891

Westminster: 369,534

Mission Viejo: 310,794

Anaheim: 309,306

Tustin: 267,244

Common Questions

1. Name of the parent company of a particular business.

2. Name and address of a business that sold a particular item several years ago.

3. Composer, singer and/or name of a song that was heard on the radio.

4. Worth of a particular stock.

5. Title of a poem read at Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis’ funeral. The answer: “Ithaka.”

Obscure Requests

* Text for a Hawaiian surfer funeral ceremony

* Information on how to perform a penile augmentation

* Age of the youngest mother

* Recipe for Silly Putty

Most Visitors

The five city or county libraries with the most visitors in 1992-93:

Garden Grove-Regional: 965,466

Westminster: 845,784

Santa Ana: 839,261

Anaheim: 800,591

Huntington Beach: 796,432

House Specialties

Many county libraries have created special collections. A selection of these individual expressions:

Anaheim: Disneyland archives; large print books; Anaheim history

Buena Park: Large Vietnamese-language collection; more than 500 books on tape

Chapman: Extensive sheet-music collection

Fullerton: Fullerton history; rare first edition children’s books

Garden Grove: 40,000 local, state, federal government documents

Heritage Park: Large business section

Orange: Orange history; biographies; rare architecture; folk and fairy tales

Placentia: Psychology; philosophy; Arabic

San Juan Capistrano: California history

Santa Ana: Large Spanish-language and youth sections; small-business resources

Westminster: Country’s largest Vietnamese-language collection

Yorba Linda: Yorba Linda history; small-business resources

Price of Waiting

Total fines collected by the 27 county library branches have increased more than 70% during the past four years.

Total fines collected:

1992-93: $862,089

County Card Carriers

More than 1.5 million county residents have an active library card. The five city-run libraries with the most borrowers in 1992-93:

Huntington Beach: 197,838

Anaheim: 140,848

Santa Ana: 91,758

Fullerton: 81,330

Orange: 71,753

Good Reads

Fiction is less than 25% of library circulation, but it’s what readers want most when reserving a book. Current 10 most requested books:

1. “The Chamber” by John Grisham

2. “The Day After Tomorrow” by Allan Folsom

3. “K is For Killer” by Sue Grafton

4. “Inca Gold” by Clive Cussler

5. “Celestine Prophecy” by James Redfield

6. “Remember Me” by Mary Higgins Clark

7. “Fist of God” by Frederick Forsythe

8. “Cat Who Came to Breakfast” by Lilian Brown

9. “Lovers” by Judith Krantz

10. “The Book of Virtues” by William J. Bennett

Other Libraries

Several Orange County colleges and universities open their library doors to the public. For specific requirements or information, call the library.

* UCI: 856-5011

* Cal State Fullerton: 773-2011

* Chapman University: 997-6815

* Coastline Community College: 546-7600

* Golden West College: 892-7711

* Orange Coast College: 566-5651

* Cypress College: 826-2220

* Fullerton College: 992-7000

* Rancho Santiago College: 564-6000

* Irvine Valley College: 559-9300

* Saddleback College: 582-4500

* Christ College Irvine: 854-8002

* Southern California College: 556-3610

Sources: Newport Beach Public Library, Orange County Library, Library Development Services, Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, individual city libraries