Countywide : Library System’s Book Rental Program a Hit

A program that allows county library patrons to rent copies of best-selling books appears to be catching on.

The rental system, which started five months ago, is also paying for itself, which County Librarian John M. Adams said was an objective of the program. “We are happy with it so far,” he said.

The county began purchasing extra copies of best sellers--from novels by Stephen King to Colin Powell’s autobiography--in the hope that the program would generate revenue for the 27-branch system. The books can be checked out for $1.50 a week.

While libraries continue to stock copies of best sellers that can be checked out for free, it often takes a month or more for the hottest titles to become available, librarians said.

When the program began, some patrons complained that the rental selection was too narrow and included only the most popular titles. In response to those concerns, Adams said, librarians have begun purchasing a greater variety of books for rental.

The library system has been beset by a series of financial problems in the past few years that began when the state cut its funding. That action, combined with the effects of Orange County’s late 1994 bankruptcy filing, has forced major cutbacks.

During the summer, the county sold the Seal Beach Leisure World branch to the retirement community, which turned it into a private library.

Despite those woes, Adams said, library attendance has risen 11% in the past year. The system also has seen a dramatic increase in the number of hours that volunteers contribute to local branches.

“That’s very gratifying to us,” Adams said.