City books campaign to stock library
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Books, not bricks, build libraries.

With that thought in mind, the Camarillo City Council voted 4-0 to approve a $35,000 budget for the Camarillo Library's "Next Chapter" fundraising campaign slated to begin later this month

The money had already been set aside from last year's budget.

City officials said they anticipate the campaign will raise $1 million to purchase 40,000 books and other learning materials needed to stock the new 65,000-square-foot Ponderosa Road.

City Manager Jerry Bankston said the additional books and material will increase the library's total collection to about 180,000. To meet state-set requirements for public libraries, Bankston said the city wants to eventually stock the library with more than 225,000 books and materials.

"This will give people a greater satisfaction using the new library, knowing there are new materials," Librarian Sandi Banks said. "A library is much more than a building. It's the material in the building."

Although the Camarillo library will receive a portion of the $11 million that Russell Fischer surprised the Ventura County Community Foundation with after he died in July, the money can only be used to buy business-related material.

Bankston said that still leaves much of the library, including the expanded children's and young-adult sections, in need of books.

"When you're moving from the library we have to the space that will be available to us, we are missing most of the materials that will make it the library," Bankston said during last week's meeting.

The campaign committee made up of Camarillo residents will be overseen by Vice Mayor Jan McDonald and Councilmember Kevin Kildee.

City council members hope that because the money raised during the campaign will go directly toward books for the public library-a benefit to everyone in Pleasant Valley-local residents will get behind the grassroots effort.

"I hope everyone looks at this as an opportunity to really become part of the library," McDonald said. "It really is the opportunity, no matter who you are, rich or poor, young or old, that you can really become part of the library." The $26 million library is expected to open its doors by February of next year. It will serve approximately 90,000 residents from throughout Pleasant Valley.

To learn more about the "Next Chapter" campaign or to donate, call (805) 388-5307.