Library Week to Star Celebrities, Leaders

Ventura County libraries will be celebrating National Library Week this week with a series of read-along events featuring celebrities, politicians and community leaders.

Sponsored by the American Library Assn., the theme for this year’s “Day of a Thousand Stars, Great American Read Aloud” is visiting the local library and connecting to the Internet as an avenue to the world.

Here is a list of local events:

* The Simi Valley Library, 2969 Tapo Canyon Road, will host a reading event Monday at 7 p.m. featuring Simi Valley Mayor Greg Stratton, businesswoman Sharon Brown and Chumash Interpretive Center representative Gilbert Unzueta.

* The Camarillo Library, 3100 Ponderosa Drive, will host a read along at 10 a.m. Wednesday featuring actor Makoto Iwanatsu, a veteran of such films as “Conan the Barbarian,” “The Sand Pebbles” and “Tucker.” The event will also include readings by Camarillo Councilman Kevin Kildee and county schools administrator Cliff Rodriguez.

* Ventura’s E.P. Foster Library, 651 E. Main St., will also host an event at 10 a.m. Wednesday featuring a reading of Dr. Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who” by the city’s Readers Theatre. The event will also include readings by Councilwoman Donna De Paola and teacher Dorothy Jue.

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* The El Rio-Soliz Library near Oxnard at 2820 Jourdan St. will host a read along at 1 p.m. featuring singer Lee Orgel, Rio School Supt. Yolanda Benitez and Catherine Serros-Meyers, an aide to county Supervisor John Flynn.