IRVINE : City Seeks to Cut Ties With County Library

The city is moving to pull out of the county library system, convinced that a partnership with the school district and community college could provide improved library services for less money.

Council members this week agreed to issue a notice of intent to withdraw both libraries from the county system.

The withdrawal would require approval from the Board of Supervisors, and Mayor Michael Ward and Councilwoman Christina L. Shea plan to meet soon with board members.

“The consensus in the county is that the library system is kind of a failure,” Shea said. “The two libraries we have are facing cutbacks in time and materials.”

County librarian John Adams is on vacation and could not be reached for comment. County library Regional Manager Cris McSparren declined comment.

The city contributes $2.8 million annually to the county library system but receives what Councilman Barry J. Hammond considers a bad return on its investment.

“If we can keep those same dollars local, we can make more efficient use of them,” Hammond said. “Anything the city can do to extricate itself from the county is a good idea.”

In September, Mission Viejo became the first city to pull out of the county library system. Supervisors unanimously agreed to forgo $950,000 in annual library taxes and put the money toward a planned $6-million library. The city intends to sell its small branch library, using the proceeds to fund the new facility.

At Irvine Valley College, where construction will begin this month on a $4.7-million, two-story library, information services Dean Dave Everett said the nature of electronic information lends itself to a partnership with the city and school district.

“I can see us coming together and creating a resource for the entire community,” Everett said. “This is something we’re real interested in.”

A public hearing on the council’s intent to withdraw from the county system is scheduled for the Oct. 24 City Council meeting.