Group to Study Uses for Library Windfall

Anticipating a $27,000 windfall for the library, the City Council has reactivated a citizens’ advisory group to study how to spend the money.

City Manager Daniel E. Keen told the council this week that the county library system recently revised its funding formula to account for changes in cities’ populations as well as circulation of books and other library materials.

“After applying the new formula to the [library system’s] new budget, the results for La Palma are very positive,” Keen said.

The La Palma branch, which now gets $81,372 a year, is scheduled for an increase to $108,746, which Keen said would be the highest percentage increase among all cities in the library system.

The La Palma branch up to now has received enough county funds to pay for only two days of operation a week. The city has subsidized the branch with about $57,000 a year to allow for two additional days.

Keen said the new county money might be used to replace part of the city subsidy. Other possibilities, he said, include extending hours of operation of the current four-day library schedule or purchasing books and materials.

Councilman Kenneth Blake suggested reconvening the citizens’ Library Task Force to study how the money should be spent. The council unanimously backed that proposal.

The recommendations will then be presented to the City Council.