PUBLIC LIBRARIES IN COUNTY, STATE BURST AT SEAMS BUILDING FUNDS HARD TO GET.

Byline: HARRISON SHEPPARD

Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO -- After missing two chances in the past year to gain state funding, libraries in Los Angeles County and throughout the state are struggling to meet a massive demand for new facilities that far exceeds available funds.

State and local officials have estimated a demand of $8 billion for new library facilities across the state, including $1 billion in Los Angeles County alone.

But one year ago this month, state voters rejected a $600 million bond measure to build new libraries. Then earlier this month, a $4 billion library bond proposal for next year's ballot was held in committee in the state Legislature, dashing the hopes of library supporters who say local resources are not enough to meet the demand.

"There are some that have been able to find (funding), but it's a real tough go," said Margaret Todd, the Los Angeles County head librarian and president of the California Library Association.

Todd said the county library system has been fortunate in getting support from the Board of Supervisors for at least five projects that are currently moving forward at a budgeted cost of more than $60 million.

The county system is planning to build more libraries -- in Topanga Canyon, La Crescenta, Acton/Agua Dulce, Lawndale and an unincorporated area near Whittier.

The Topanga project, on the edge of a coastal zone, was approved by the California Coastal Commission recently, and construction is expected to start next February. The La Crescenta project is scheduled to open in fall 2009.

Board of Supervisors Chairman Zev Yaroslavsky said even while the county faces other pressing needs, as in health care and jails, officials recognize the importance for finding money for libraries.

The Topanga library is supposed to open by December 2009. It will be about 11,000 square feet and hold about 50,000 items.

The $14.2 million cost is coming from the county general fund and road fund.

Wendy Romano, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County library system, said the Topanga community has no library service nearby and only a small bookmobile visits the area twice a week.

The new La Crescenta Library at 2809 Foothill Blvd. will house about 81,000 items in 15,000 square feet. The project is budgeted at $14.6 million.

But other cities are struggling to meet their needs in the absence of state funding.

Burbank city officials have been hoping for years to build a new Central Library, across from the current one's location, and to expand the Northwest Branch on Victory Boulevard but have been unable to obtain the funding either from the state or the city's own revenues.

The city of Los Angeles is perhaps an exception to the rule. A massive 15-year library-building program is being completed this year at a cost of $317 million from a combination of bonds and city funds, according to library officials.

In the San Fernando Valley alone, 15 branches were rebuilt and three new branches were created.

"We're really proud of the fact that this is the largest library-construction program in the nation," said Los Angeles Public Library spokesman Peter Persic. "Not only did we deliver every library that was promised to the voters, but we actually came in on time and under budget, which allowed us to add projects."

But even with that massive project completed, the city still has additional needs for more libraries. A recent survey catalogued the need for renovations or construction of 19 additional facilities throughout the city, at an estimated cost of $456 million.

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