Ojai Valley Checking Out Ways to Help Its Libraries

With little financial relief in sight for Ventura County libraries, Ojai and its unincorporated valley neighbors are looking for ways to secure their own libraries’ futures.

Topping the list is the creation of a special library district that would help fund either two or three Ojai Valley libraries, depending on how the district boundaries are drawn.

Under that proposal, residents of the district would pay a $35 to $40 parcel tax to support the library system, Ojai Mayor Nina V. Shelley said. In time, the new district could take over operation of the libraries, she added.

While still in the discussion stage, the proposal has the support of the Ojai City Council and several county supervisors. Shelley said she hoped to put the tax proposal up for a referendum vote by March.

“Libraries are so essential to our way of life,” Shelley said. “We must find a way to keep them adequately funded.”

The Ojai Valley’s three libraries are part of the county library system, which went into a financial tailspin three years ago when half of their funding was redirected to Sacramento to help balance the state budget.

The county library budget shriveled to $5 million from more than $10 million, with funding for the three libraries in the Ojai Valley halved to $400,000, according to Dixie D. Adeniran, director of the Ventura County Library Services Agency.

Countywide, staff and library hours were cut by about 40% and funds for new books slowed to a trickle, Adeniran said.

“We don’t have a book budget anymore,” said Katherine Willis, a librarian at the Ojai Library. “Any new books are bought by donations alone.”

The library was also forced to reduce its hours from 51 a week to 20. But with $30,000 from the Ojai City Council, the library was able to increase its hours to 38 a week. Ojai would now like to share that financial burden with its unincorporated neighbors.

“We need to find a way to provide services for people who don’t pay city taxes,” Councilman James Loebl said.

The money would also aid the tiny Meiners Oaks and Oak View libraries, which have not fared as well as the Ojai Library. They are open just 19 hours a week and are closed Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

Mary Lynch, branch manager of the Port Hueneme and Ojai libraries, said the funding issue has reached a critical phase.

“We’ve been limping along for three years now,” Lynch said. “Either we get a parcel tax or we should close shop because the money simply isn’t there to keep the libraries operating at a satisfactory level.”

Supervisor Susan Lacey said she is receptive to creation of a library district, but because of the city of Ventura’s interest in a similar library tax district, she’s also looking into the possibility of combining the two into one district.

“We’ve got to do something to save the libraries,” she said. “A west county district might be a solution.”

Ventura’s City Council voted last week to place a tax measure on the November ballot if a regional plan is not forthcoming.

While taxes are never a popular issue in California, many residents said they supported the proposal.

“I vote with my pocketbook, but I use the library every day.” Lytton Ivanhoe of Ojai said.

“I’d do anything to keep the library open,” said Alice Mitchell, also of Ojai. “What’s the substitute? Where else can you go?”

Joyce Reyes of Oak View said she hoped her community would be included in the district.

“I don’t see anything wrong with paying something to read all those books,” she said.