Donation Drive Raises $11,000 for Libraries : Services: The help comes from county property owners, who were solicited in their tax bills. The goal was $30,000.

Ventura County’s ailing library system has collected nearly $11,000 in donations from property owners, who were asked for the first time ever to make contributions to a county agency when paying their tax bills.

The money will be used to shore up the budget of the 15-branch library system, shortchanged by the Legislature this year.

Although library officials had hoped to collect $30,000 in donations, county Librarian Dixie D. Adeniran said she is satisfied with the amount raised. She said the money will be used to purchase new books and periodicals.

“It is going to put things out into the libraries that we otherwise would not have been able to afford,” Adeniran said.

Added county Supervisor Maggie Kildee: “I’m very pleased that we have had that kind of participation from people in the county. It shows that the people really care about the libraries.”

After receiving approval from the Board of Supervisors, library officials included donation forms with the October mailing of 214,000 property tax bills. The deadline to pay the bills was Dec. 10.

Adeniran said library officials agreed to beef up fund-raising efforts after the state decided to cut the library’s budget by $3.3 million--or 40% of its funding.

The supervisors voted to transfer $1.6 million in July from the county’s General Fund to help buffer the blow, but the libraries were still forced to make sharp cuts.

Library hours were reduced, 44 positions were cut and most funding for new books was eliminated.

“We are certainly happy with every dollar that was donated to us,” Adeniran said.

In addition to raising money from property owners, library officials have solicited donations from other groups.

On Tuesday, the supervisors are scheduled to accept $3,000 raised by the Camarillo Newcomers Club and $12,000 collected by Ojai’s Friends of the Library.

Library officials have also been meeting with city and school officials to see if more money can be raised. Meanwhile, Adeniran said she hopes to again send donation forms with next year’s property tax bills.

Adeniran estimated that will cost the county $700 to print the forms. The expense, she said, will be paid with interest earned on contributions.

She said a few notes of encouragement came with the donations this year.

“Some said, ‘Hang in there,’ ” Adeniran said.

Trish Cavanaugh, in charge of community relations for the county library system, said she had anticipated raising more than $11,000 from property owners. But, she said, “I know it’s tough times.”

The donations ranged from $5 to $100 each, with about 500 people donating, she said. Twenty dollars was the average donation, Cavanaugh said.

“I really think we were capable of getting $30,000, so I’m a little disappointed,” she said. “But I’m always thrilled when we get $10,000.”