Supervisor Don Knabe to spend $45 million to improve libraries, including Los Nietos facility

SANTA FE SPRINGS >> Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe Wednesday announced plans to spend $45  million on renovating or building new libraries in his district, including the Los Nietos Library, 11644 Slauson Ave., Whittier.

Knabe, who will be termed out of office in December 2016, said he’s trying to accomplish his “own little bucket list.”

His comments were made to about 131 people during his State of the County address at Town Center Hall, which was hosted by the Santa Fe Springs Chamber of Commerce.

“One of the things I want to do over the next three years is spend $45  million upgrading libraries throughout the Fourth District,” Knabe said.

Knabe said although more and more people are reading books on Kindles and other devices, libraries are still important.

“In the last three years, the library has seen more than eight million people pass through their doors and more than nine million books and videos have been checked out,” he said.

Margaret Donnellan Todd, the county librarian in a telephone interview after the speech, said it’s uncertain what will be done at the Los Nietos Library.

It shares space in the same building with the county Community and Senior services department.

“I’ve been talking with their department heads and we’re discussing whether we do a major renovation,” Todd said.

The Los Nietos Library is 4,331 square feet and one of the smaller county libraries, Todd said.

It opened in 1979, and not much has been done to update it since then, she said.

The library is well used, Todd said.

“A lot of people who use that library walk from the residential area or they come from the schools,” she said.

A decision which other libraries will be chosen have yet to be made, she added.

“He’s either going to, in some instances, build a new library or go in and do major renovations,” Todd said. “He wants to make a significant improvement. He doesn’t just want to put in new carpeting or paint the wall.”

The goal will be to spend the money by the end of Knabe’s term, she said.

Knabe’s Fourth district has 20 libraries in it.

Cheryl Burnett, spokeswoman for Knabe, said six to eight libraries are likely to be chosen for renovation or new facilities.

Todd said she has given Knabe an assessment on all of the libraries and he will decide which ones need improvement.

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