Other than adolescents leering at fitness videos and the occasional homeless blogger doing research, we weren't sure if there was a real demand for public libraries these days. Guess we have more reading to do! Not only is Silver Lake getting a new book branch, bookmarked for a late-2008 opening as part of the city's 15-year, $317 million building program, but the county is bound and determined to spend $60 million on a total of five additional library projects, too.
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 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.
Twice a week? At the rate we're combating insomnia with our pass-around copy of Infinite Jest, we can skip the next hundred visits.
· Public libraries in county, state burst at seams [LA Daily News]
· Bookish Contractors Excited About Library [Curbed LA]