Suggestions Offered for Library Design

Residents who attended a meeting called by City Councilman Richard Alarcon to discuss rebuilding the local library offered several suggestions for a new design and its features.

Among the ideas were constructing a two-story building, buying new books and videos, commissioning new murals, building an electronic kiosk for simplified research, expanding library hours, restricting access to Internet pornography and creating a room where children would not disrupt adults.

“The architects are going to take . . . these comments and incorporate many of them,” Alarcon said.

Alarcon said restricting pornography, expanding library hours and commissioning art are already in the current plan and that other ideas will be considered, though planners said a two-story building is unlikely because stairwells and elevators do not maximize available space.

The City Council has approved spending $300,000 in federal grant money to plan the Pacoima project. The cost of construction--$4 million--is included in a $178.3-million bond measure for citywide library upgrades that will be put to voters in November, said Juliana Cheng, who helps oversee construction within the city library system.

Alarcon said if the measure does not pass, the city will probably request more federal funds to rebuild the Pacoima branch, which is on Van Nuys Boulevard.

To begin the process of design approval, library designers will present their preliminary design to the Los Angeles Library Commission on Sept. 10 and the city Cultural Commission on Sept. 17.

Alarcon said he will organize a bus trip to other area libraries soon so residents can gather more ideas for the Pacoima project. Residents can continue to give his office suggestions by calling (818) 756-9115.)