Renovations will close the Ojai Library starting 5 p.m. July 31 for the next six to eight months.
The construction will expand children's and adult areas, adding, among other things, new flooring, lighting and doors compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to the library located at 111 East Ojai Ave., according to a news release.
In the meantime, patrons can visit the nearby libraries in Meiners Oaks at 400 S. Lomita Ave and Oak View at 555 Mahoney Ave. or any other Ventura County library other than Ventura's E.P. Foster Library, which is also under construction. The adjacent Twice-Sold Tales Bookstore will remain open.
Library staff will be relocated to nearby branches and administrative offices during construction. Ojai regional librarian
Ron Solórzano said that most of the library’s 26,670 item collection will be held in off-site storage and be unavailable, while existing holds on books will be redirected to the Meiners Oaks Library by default.
Patrons can still check-out items from the Library of Things, such as leaf blowers and sewing machine kits, at other branches.
“Plans are underway” to increase mobile library visits to Ojai from once a month to once a week while the branch is closed, library officials said. Specific dates, times and locations are yet to be announced.
The renovations are largely funded by a bequest from former Ojai Librarian Ann Crozier. Solórzano said the bequest, not all of which is funding the renovations, was over $1 million and that Crozier intended for it to go to capital improvements, particularly for children’s areas.
Levi Kauffman is a summer intern for the Ventura County Star. He can be reached at lkauffman@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ojai Library to close temporarily for renovations. What to expect
