Letters and email · November 26, 2001
County administrator declines to change library hours
Jean Alexander responds to the Friends survey, cites patron counts and funding limits, and acknowledges shelving and computer gifts.
Text
Transcribed from the scans and checked against them by Claude. Typed text comes first; handwritten notes follow it. [illegible] marks words that cannot be read and [?] an uncertain reading.
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County of Los Angeles Public Library
7400 East Imperial Hwy., P.O. Box 7011, Downey, CA 90241-7011
(562) 940-8461, TELEFAX (562) 803-3032
Library
November 26, 2001
Charlotte Malone
President, Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library
550 Pier Avenue
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
Dear Charlotte,
Wendy Romano asked me to respond to your letter on library service hours. I have reviewed the results of your Hermosa Beach Library Survey, reported in an April 24, 2001 letter to Wendy Romano. You indicated that many respondents wanted later open hours and more uniform open and closing times. I have reviewed these suggestions with Ron Schneider, the Community Library Manager.
For the time being we will leave the hours as they are. The survey is not conclusive as to any specific desired changes. In August, Ron Schneider also did a count for three weeks on how many people used the library the first hour open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and the last hour open. The count showed 371 people in the library the first hour open, versus 198 people in the library the last hour open. We have tried to balance some morning and evening hours open. For those who need later service, the Manhattan Beach Library is open Monday - Wednesday night until 9 PM. This library is two miles from the Hermosa Beach Library. It will be less confusing for the community if we do not change the schedule for the Hermosa Beach Library at this time.
In addition, you reported customer comments asking for more open hours. If additional hours are to be implemented, supplemental funding will need to be provided. The Library's current operating budget does not have available funds to increase the hours of service at the Hermosa Beach Library.
Serving the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and the cities of: Agoura Hills • Artesia • Avalon • Baldwin Park • Bell • Bell Gardens • Bellflower • Bradbury • Carson • Claremont • Compton • Cudahy • Culver City • Diamond Bar • Duarte • El Monte • Gardena • Hawaiian Gardens • Hawthorne • Hermosa Beach • Hidden Hills • Huntington Park • La Canada Flintridge • La Habra Heights • Lakewood • La Mirada • Lancaster • La Puente • La Verne • Lawndale • Lomita • Lynwood • Malibu • Manhattan Beach • Maywood • Montebello • Norwalk • Paramount • Pico Rivera • Rosemead • San Dimas • San Fernando • San Gabriel • Santa Clarita • South El Monte • South Gate • Temple City • Walnut • West Covina • West Hollywood • Westlake Village
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Thank you for your continuing support of the Library. I was very pleased you were able to provide additional book cases for your Friends of the Library booksale. Also, the new computers in the children's area were a wonderful gift to your community.
If you have some specific changes to the hours open that you think would be beneficial to the community please contact me. Ron and I will be happy to meet with you.
Sincerely,
Jean Alexander
West County Regional Administrator
(310) 830-0231
cc: Margaret Donnellan Todd, County Librarian
Wendy Romano, Assistant Director, Public Services
Ron Schneider, Community Library Manager, Hermosa Beach Library
Handwritten notes
• (signature) Jean Alexander
Show the original machine reading
Source scan page 7
County of Los Angeles Public Library 7400 East Imperial Hwy., P.O. Box 7011, Downey, CA 90241-7011 (562) 940-8461, TELEFAX (562) 803-3032 Lorary November 26, 2001 Charlotte Malone President, Hermosa Beach Friends of the Library 550 Pier Avenue Hermosa Beach, CA 90254 Dear Charlotte, Wendy Romano asked me to respond to your letter on library service hours. I have reviewed the results of your Hermosa Beach Library Survey, reported in an April 24, 2001 letter to Wendy Romano. You indicated that many respondents wanted later open hours and more uniform open and closing times. I have reviewed these suggestions with Ron Schneider, the Community Library Manager. For the time being we will leave the hours as they are. The survey is not conclusive as to any specific desired changes. In August, Ron Schneider also did a count for three weeks on how many people used the library the first hour open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and the last hour open. The count showed 371 people in the library the first hour open, versus 198 people in the library the last hour open. We have tried to balance some morning and evening hours open. For those who need later service, the Manhattan Beach Library is open Monday - Wednesday night until 9 PM. This library is two miles from the Hermosa Beach Library. It will be less confusing for the community if we do not change the schedule for the Hermosa Beach Library at this time. In addition, you reported customer comments asking for more open hours. If additional hours are to be implemented, supplemental funding will need to be provided. The Library's current operating budget does not have available funds to increase the hours of service at the Hermosa Beach Library. Serving the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County and the cities of: Agoura Hills ? Artesia ? Avalon ? Baldwin Park ? Bell ? Bell Gardens ? Bellflower ? Bradbury ? Carson ? Claremont ? Compton ? Cudahy ? Culver City ? Diamond Bar ? Duarte ? El Monte ? Gardena ? Hawaiian Gardens ? Hawthorne ? Hermosa Beach ? Hidden Hills ? Huntington Park ? La Canada Flintridge ? La Habra Beach ? Maywood . Montebello ? Norwalk Heights ? Lakewood ? La Mirada ? Lancaster ? La Puente? La Verne ? Lawndale ? Lomita ? Lynwood ? Malibu? Manhattan ? Paramount ? Pico Rivera ? Rosemead ? San Dimas ? San Fernando ? San Gabriel ? Santa Clarita ? South El Monte . South Gate? Temple City ? Walnut ? West Covina ? West Hollywood ? Westlake Village
Source scan page 8
Thank you for your continuing support of the Library. I was very pleased you were able to provide additional book cases for your Friends of the Library booksale. Also, the new computers in the children's area were a wonderful gift to your community. If you have some specific changes to the hours open that you think would be beneficial to the community please contact me. Ron and I will be happy to meet with you. Sincerely, Geax Alparder Jean Alexander West County Regional Administrator (310) 830-0231 CC: Margaret Donnellan Todd, County Librarian Wendy Romano, Assistant Director, Public Services Ron Schneider, Community Library Manager, Hermosa Beach Library