PORT HUENEME : Keep Libraries Open Longer, Youths Say

A group of Port Hueneme schoolchildren on Tuesday implored Ventura County supervisors to keep public libraries open longer, saying they would read more and watch television less if books were available.

The students from Rose Hand’s fifth- and sixth-grade classes at Bard School wrote letters to the board earlier and read them Tuesday morning before the board. At Supervisor Vicky Howard’s suggestion, the letters will be compiled and sent to state legislators who allocate money for libraries.

After budget cuts last year, the county’s Ray D. Prueter Library in Port Hueneme is open 3 to 7 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, and 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

“A lot of kids would go to the library a lot more often if they were open more,” 12-year-old Cindy Cervantes said. “Our library at school is too small and we like to go to the (county) library to do our essays and country reports.”

Joseph Macaulay, 12, agreed.

“We need books to get an accurate and up-to-date information about a wide variety of subjects,” he said.

Students Steve Brown and Philip Gilbert, both 12, did a survey of 444 schoolchildren, asking them four questions about their use of libraries. They found that 303 children read more than they watch television; 361 would read more if libraries were open longer; 137 children go to the library more than twice a week, and only 68 youngsters do not like to go to the library.

Supervisors were profuse in their thanks, if not encouraging about the future. State funds for libraries were cut by 40% last year, Howard said.

“Ask your parents what a difference a 40% cut would make in your budgets at home,” Howard said.

Supervisor Maggie Kildee thanked the children and told them that books “open up wonderful worlds and areas of learning.”

“I am sorry we cannot keep the libraries open more,” she said. “At the moment, we just don’t have enough money. I hope that next year the state will be able to give us more money to keep the libraries open.”

Hand said the project was begun after students learned this year that they could no longer take field trips to the Prueter Library in the mornings because of cutbacks.

“We’re going to send the letters to Sacramento and, who knows, maybe we’ll even take a trip to Sacramento and tell them in person,” Hand said.