Newspaper clippings · 1996Estimated date
Sunday no longer day of rest for librarians
Article on Sunday opening at Los Angeles city libraries is mounted among other news stories. It supplies regional context.
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Sunday no longer day of rest for librarians
GOVERNMENT: A funding change for county facilities allows the extra hours.
By SUSAN KELLEHER
The Orange County Register
COSTA MESA — Rhianna Ahern sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor of the Costa Mesa branch library on Sunday, fat volumes on ancient Eygpt surrounding her in piles.
As she thumbed through the books for information on Cleopatra, her father, Brett Ahrens, perused the nonfiction shelves, thankful for the new Sunday hours that made it possible for his 15-year-old daughter to finish her research project and for him to escape into a world of books.
"We've got five kids, so there's lots of things going on, and we can't always get to the library during the week," said Brett Ahrens, 38. "Sunday gives us a chance to come here together."
The city's two libraries are among five Orange County Public Library branches to offer Sunday hours for the first time since 1978. The extended hours at branches in Irvine, Laguna Niguel and Costa Mesa drew sparse attendance at some libraries, and large crowds at others.
"Some people wanted to know where we got the money from to open on Sundays," said Edith Lott, supervising clerk at the Costa Mesa Park Avenue branch. "They said, 'Hey, I thought you had money problems. One day you're broke, and the next day you have all this money!'"
Not quite.
In 1993, the Orange County Public Library system budget was $27 million. This year, it's $17.4 million. The difference is that the county Board of Supervisors reconfigured the way money is distributed to the 21 cities with county-run libraries.
The new formula gives more money to larger cities, such as Irvine, and less money to smaller cities, such as San Juan Capistrano.
Because the libraries hadn't been opened on Sundays for nearly 20 years, no one knew what to expect, said Barbara Brook, manager of the Heritage Regional Park branch in Irvine.
"It's surprising how busy we are," Brook said.
DAVE YODER/The Register
NEW SUNDAY HANGOUT: Joel Crawford, 16, of Cypress, checks out cartooning books at the Costa Mesa library Sunday.
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suspects in more than sou un- solved homicides dating back to the 1960S. "I think we'll see many un- solved cases solved," said Frank Fitzpatrick, director of the sher- iff's crime lab, Forensic Science Services."In a lot of these old cases, there's good evidence." County supervisors last month approved $378,410 annually to pay for two sheriff's investiga- tors, two forensic scientists and one technician who will work ex- clusively on unsolved killings. The team is the first of its kind statewide, Fitzpatrick said. A similar unit was formed in North Carolina in 1988 and solved 48 percent of its unsolved cases, ac- cording to a study prepared for Orange County supervisors be- fore their vote. "We've never really had the resources to go back and look at the old cases because of the pres- Please see UNSOLVED Page 10 Metro o ? ORANGE- VALE: O.C.'s Red Cross vol- unteers toil behind scenes. Metro 5 ? NOTEBOOK: Forecasters, re- searchers dif- fer over cause. Metro 4 me vununis Steve Martarano of the state Office of Emergency Services said battered river levees in Me- ridian, which was evacuated Sat- urday night, and other areas con- tinue to fail under the pressure of new flood water flowing down- stream from the mountains. "There's a massive amount of water coming in from the Sierra - there was so much snow, it Gingrich me Sunday no longer day of rest for librarians The city's two libraries are GOVERNMENT: A among five Orange County Pub- funding change for county facilities allows the extra hours. lic Library branches to offer Sun- day hours for the first time since 1978. The extended hours at branches in Irvine, Laguna Ni- guel and Costa Mesa drew sparse By SUSAN KELLEHER attendance at some libraries, The Orange County Register and large crowds at others. SECOND COSTA MESA - Rhianna "Some people wanted to know Hront Pace Ahern sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor of the Costa Mesa where we got the money from to open on Sundays, " said Edith NEWS 11 branch library on Sunday, fat volumes on ancient Eygpt sur- Lott, supervising clerk at the Costa Mesa Park Avenue rounding her in piles. branch. "They said, 'Hey,I ? SLAYING: Mexican thought you had money prob- As she thumbed through the drug prosecutor shot. lems. One day you're broke, and books for information on Cleopa- the next day you have all this ? TALKS: Arafat, money!'" Netanyahu meet secretly tra, her father, Brett Ahrens, pe- rusedthe nonfiction shelves, thankful for the new Sunday Not quite. hours that made it possible for In 1993, the Orange County ? BELGRADE: Protests roll on with traffic jams. his 15-year-old daughter to finish her research project and for him Public Library system budget was $27 million. This year, it's ? MEDICARE: Clinton has to escape into a world of books. "We've got five kids, so there's $17.4 million. The difference is that the county Board of Supervi- new cost strategy. ? PERU: Rebels a mix of lots of things going on, and we can't always get to the library during the week, ," said Brett.Ah- sors reconfigured the way money is distributed to the 21 cities with county-run libraries. hardened, naive. rens, 38. "Sunday gives us a chance to come here together." The new formula gives more money to larger cities, such as peers on ev CONGRESS: The speaker's spokesman denies that he'll drop his bid to lead the House if the session turns sour. By JEANNE CUMMINGS Cox News Service DAVE YODER/The Register WASHINGTON - For the first NEW SUNDAY HANGOUT: Joel time since his Christmas week Crawford, 16, of Cypress, checks admission to ethics violations, out cartooning books at the Costa Mesa library Sunday. Speaker Newt Gingrich meets face-to-face today with the House Republican colleagues who hold his political fate in their hands. Irvine, and less money to small- One GOP lawmaker suggested er cities, such as San Juan Capi- strano. Sunday that if the evening meet- ing of the House Republican Con- Because the libraries hadn't ference does not go well, Ging- been opened on Sundays for rich couldstep aside before nearly 20 years, no one knew Tuesday's scheduled vote by the what to expect, said Barbara House to re-elect him as speaker. Brook, manager of the Heritage But the Georgia Republican's Regional Park branch in Irvine. senior aides denied that he would "It's surprising how busy we step down. are," Brook said. Gingrich's spokesman, Tony