State Grant Sought for Library Branch

The Los Angeles Board of Library Commissioners applied this week for a state grant to help fund the construction of a new Studio City library.

The grant, which is available through the Library Services Construction Act, would give the commission $467,157 toward the estimated $3.5-million project. The city already has put up approximately $3 million, according to Juliana Cheng, principal librarian in charge of branch construction projects.

“We’re very confident we will receive the money,” said Cheng. “We more than qualify under the guidelines.”

Cheng said the state will rule on the application in April. If the money is approved, the next step for the project is for the city’s architectural division to finish the architectural construction plans before putting the project out to bid.

She said the project will be completed whether or not the grant is approved.

Preliminary architectural plans for the new 10,500 square-foot facility were approved in November by the commission and approved again in December.

“It’s a long process but, so far, everything is on schedule,” Cheng said.

The new facility will replace the existing Studio City branch at 4400 Babcock Ave. near Moorpark Street and Whitsett Avenue. The new library will have a computer center as well as conference rooms, a children’s section and work stations and promises to be one of the most technologically advanced libraries in the Valley, Cheng said.

Library officials expect construction to begin late in the year.

Currently, Studio City is the ninth-busiest branch in the city’s library system of 67 branches and four bookmobiles.