REGION : County Libraries Restoring Hours

Many South Bay libraries were expanding their services beginning this week after almost two years of reduced hours, scaled-back library staffs and slashed materials budgets.

An injection of $22.5 million into the Los Angeles County Library system budget by the Board of Supervisors last month made it possible to restore hours and services to libraries in Gardena, Lawndale, Lomita, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne and Lennox.

Library officials say a lack of staff has delayed restoring hours at libraries in Carson and Hermosa Beach, although officials expect to have them running on full schedule by the end of the month.

The new funds will mean more librarians to handle special requests, new reference books and materials at most libraries, plus updated technical and clinical guides at the library’s resource and research centers, said library spokeswoman Jean Alexander.

Library officials were forced to cut hours, staff and materials two years ago when state officials shifted funds away from county governments--and thus the library budget--to other areas. That money, which accounted for almost half of the library system’s budget, has not been replaced by the state, Alexander said.

Since then, the county has given the library district several million dollars a year but not enough to cover a continued drain of library revenues by the state, Alexander said.

Late this summer, library officials attended city council meetings asking councils to approve a special tax to keep the system solvent. The tax, which would have cost homeowners about $28.50 a year, was overwhelmingly turned down by the South Bay cities that voted on it. Carson and Lomita approved the tax.

But county officials bailed out the library system. Library officials say the money will only last through June, and county officials have pledged to give only $10 million next year.

Expanded Library Hours

The county library system is increasing the number of days and the hours its branches will be open.

AVALON

215 Sumner Ave.

Effective this week.

Noon to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; noon to 5 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

CARSON

151 E. Carson St.

Tentatively effective week of Nov. 28.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; noon to 9 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday.

CARSON--Victoria Park

17906 S. Avalon Blvd.

Tentatively effective week of Nov. 28.

1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; noon to 6 p.m. Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

GARDENA

1731 W. Gardena Blvd.

Effective this week.

11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

GARDENA--Masao W. Satow (unincorporated county area)

14433 S. Crenshaw Blvd.

Effective this week.

1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

HAWTHORNE

12700 S. Grevillea Ave.

Effective this week.

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

HAWTHORNE--Wiseburn

5335 W. 135th St.

Tentatively effective week of Nov. 28.

1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; noon to 6 p.m. Thursday; noon to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

HERMOSA BEACH

550 Pier Ave.

Tentatively effective week of Nov. 28.

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

LAWNDALE

14615 Burin Ave.

Effective this week.

1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

LENNOX (unincorporated county area)

4359 Lennox Blvd.

Effective this week.

11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; noon to 5 p.m. Saturday.

LOMITA

24200 Narbonne Ave.

Effective this week.

10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

MANHATTAN BEACH

1320 Highland Ave.

Effective this week.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday; noon to 6 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

MARINA DEL REY (unincorporated county area)

4533 Admiralty Way.

Tentatively effective week of Nov. 28.

10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.