Cities, Groups Offer Funds to Libraries

Several cities and community organizations have drummed up dollars to expand library services at selected branches in the county’s cash-poor library system.

Libraries in Camarillo, Ventura, Oak View, Ojai, Piru, Saticoy and Simi Valley will open for additional hours if the Board of Supervisors approves the non-county funding at Tuesday’s board meeting.

The city of Ventura has offered to spend $108,000 to keep the Foster and Wright libraries in that city open for an additional 13 hours a week through August, 1996. Library patron Richard Clifton produced $5,000 to pay for books, materials and additional hours at the Oak View library through March, 1996. And the Ojai Valley Friends of the Library raised $1,440 to fund four morning hours weekly at the Ojai Library through June, 1996.

The supervisors approved a $1-million county contribution to the agency in July, but the amount falls short of the $1.6 million needed to keep all of the county’s 16 branches open this year. The cities of Ojai and Ventura and residents living in the unincorporated areas between the two municipalities will vote on a $35-per-parcel tax to help pay for library services.

The Camarillo City Council and the Meadowlark Service League are both expected to contribute more than $50,000 to keep the city’s library open 15 additional hours weekly through next year. The Simi Valley Civic Center Authority is expected to provide $16,000 to continue to keep the city’s library open an additional 11 hours a week. A $50,000 federal block grant will be used help expand hours at the Piru and Saticoy libraries.