LIBRARY OF NOTE THOUSAND OAKS FACILITY THRIVING.

Byline: Cecilia Chan Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - While many public libraries have had to cut hours and buy fewer books to cope with tight budgets, Thousand Oaks' library is open daily and has a generous and growing collection, in addition to plans for a multimillion-dollar expansion.

The Grant R. Brimhall Library on Janss Road is among the busiest in the country, with some 1.5 million items being checked out every year. An estimated 2,000 people visit each day to peruse its 380,000 books, 500 DVDs and diverse special collections.

``With a strong local economy, we have the ability to pay, and the demand is there,'' Deputy City Manager Scott Mitnick said. ``The community is demanding the service.

``This is a community where arts and culture are very important. The City Council has always made it very clear the library is highly important. It's really a pride and joy to us.''

In adopting a two-year budget last month, the City Council allocated $12.7 million for the library for the current fiscal year, and $7.5 million for 2002-03. The budget includes $7 million for a 35,000-square-foot expansion of the Brimhall Library, and $700,000 annually for new books.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles County libraries - including those in neighboring Westlake Village and Agoura Hills - face cuts in operating hours and the numbers of books purchased if additional revenue isn't forthcoming, officials said.

The California Institute for County Government, a public policy research organization, released a report in May which said that because cities have greater financial flexibility, they generally spend more money on their libraries, and provide better services, than county and special district libraries.

The report went on to say that libraries in California experienced a significant reduction in funding over the last 25 years, sparked by economic factors and the passage of Proposition 13 in 1978.

In fact, in the early 1990s, when California hit a recession and the Legislature began to shift property tax revenue away from local governments, the Thousand Oaks Library also had to work around lean budgets by slashing hours and staff.

But a commitment by the city and the community has revived the library, which now boasts the equivalent of 80 full-time staffers, officials said.

``The reason why the library is so strong is just total support from the community,'' library director Stephen Brogden said. ``The community makes it a high priority, and all the residents in the area have benefited from it.''

Lauree Moncivalles, 40, is among the Thousand Oaks Library patrons who regularly take advantage of its special programs.

``It's great. They have the latest books that you can rent for 50 cents a week instead of shelling out 25 bucks to read a book and then have it sitting on a shelf,'' she said, flipping through the pages of Olivia Goldsmith's new best-seller, ``Young Wives.''

Cindy Mediavilla, president of the California Library Association, said the Thousand Oaks system is highly regarded by professionals within the industry.

``They have a lot of resources, they offer a lot of services and they are probably one of the first libraries to open on Sundays in this area,'' she said. ``The building has always been one people go see when they think they are going to build a new (library).''

In fact, the library's resources drew so many people from outside Thousand Oaks, the City Council - which governs the 19-year-old system - imposed an annual $55 fee for nonresidents back in 1991.

``At the time, we had 100,000 residents in the city and we had 140,000 borrowers,'' Brogden said. ``The parking lot was full, the tables were full, there were no places for people to sit down.''

The number of nonresident patrons now stands at roughly 5,000, he said.

Another draw at the library is its special collections, including local historical works from 1875 to the present, and a one-of-a kind American Archive of Broadcasting, featuring broadcast pioneers of the West Coast.

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Thousand Oaks Library Director Stephen Brogden credits the facility's success to strong community support.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News