MOORPARK OKS LOAN FOR LIBRARY PARKING LOT.

Byline: Alicia Doyle Daily News Staff Writer

The city has agreed to advance up to $71,500 to Ventura County so a parking lot can be constructed at the newly expanded Moorpark Library.

The money will be used by the Ventura County Library Services Agency to put the final touch on the county project, located next to Moorpark City Hall.

The Ventura County supervisors will discuss the deal today, an advance of roughly $65,000 to $71,500 for construction of the lot and an additional $6,500 for contingency fees, said Richard Hare, deputy city manager.

If the board approves the deal, construction of the parking lot could begin within the next couple months, city officials said. The money will come from Moorpark's redevelopment funds.

Hare said fronting the money is a good deal for the Moorpark community.

``Right now, it's just a dirt lot,'' Hare said. ``That's not very good for the library patrons.''

The county later will deduct the amount from shares it receives from Moorpark's property taxes, explained Terry Dryer, program management analyst for Ventura County. Repayment should begin by 1999 at the earliest, Dryer said.

For years Moorpark residents have complained about cramped conditions at the library. The community ended up raising $85,000 to help double the size of the facility. Overall cost of expansion was $377,275.

The library closed in April when interior construction began and reopened June 24. Meanwhile the community's reading habit was served by a county bookmobile rolled into the Moorpark site.

Since the project began, two wings have been added to the library, expanding the site an additional 2,700 square feet. Interior walls also were removed, shelves rearranged and the main entrance was moved.

While the library houses the same number of books as before, there is now more room for children's reading programs, a larger study area and better lighting.

Because funding for the site only paid for expansion, many library amenities were donated by county agencies and some private companies, officials said.

The Camarillo Library, for example, donated a circulation desk and Hughes Aircraft donated metal library shelves, officials said. Several tables were donated from other county departments.