SANTA PAULA : New Board Proposed to Oversee Library

For more than a quarter century, the board of the Santa Paula Union High School District has overseen operations of the Blanchard Community Library.

But school officials now say that it is time that an independent governing body be established to run the library, which serves nearly 28,000 residents.

On Tuesday, the Ventura County Board of Supervisors will consider endorsing a request by the school board to support legislation to allow the creation of a new library board, said Dan Robles, the library’s director.

Supervisor Maggie Kildee, whose district includes Santa Paula, said she supports the proposed legislation.

“The Santa Paula library has come of age,” Kildee said. “It needs a little more independence.”

Indeed, after seeing their library struggle for years, Santa Paula voters last year approved a $25 parcel tax to help pay for improvements.

Since then, the library has increased its hours from 18 to 30, hired three new employees and plans to spend $35,000 on new books.

Originally a city library, Blanchard became part of the Santa Paula Union High School Public Library District in 1968.

Because of expanding school and library services, Robles said school officials believe the library would be better served by its own board.

State Sen. Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) has agreed to carry the necessary legislation to establish the library board, Robles said. If all goes as planned, the new library board will be in place by January, 1996. The five-member panel would be appointed by county supervisors.