THOUSANDS OAKS : Library Opens in Temporary New Home

David Burke had been waiting a month to browse the travel book section at the Thousand Oaks library. He got his chance Monday when the newly relocated library opened in the old City Hall at 2400 Willow Road.

“I’ve missed this place,” said Burke, who came in to find some books for an upcoming trip.

“I can’t decide where to go, maybe London. I’ve been waiting to read about it,” the Simi Valley man said as he moved among the shelves in the spacious temporary quarters.

Earthquake repairs to the Janss Road facility forced the library to move out of the building for seven months to a year.

Workers on Monday, tired from moving the library’s 290,000 books, videos and magazines, were glad that foot traffic was light on the first day.

“It might take people a while to find us,” said Director of Library Services Marvin Smith, in spite of the large brown-and-tan sign overlooking Willow Road and U.S. 101. “We’ll be here at least seven or eight months, and I bet some people will find us the day we move back to the old library. Meanwhile, I’m not unpacking.”

Library store manager Joan Golden said she was glad that the library, which suffered $2.5 million in damage during last year’s earthquake, would be in its current location for a while. “That will give me time to gather enough energy to move it back.”

The library will be open from 10 a.m to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and from 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays at its new location.