California Fires Shut Libraries

Many libraries in the affected areas were forced to close as tens of thousands of residents fled rapidly spreading blazes from Simi Valley in the north to San Bernadino in the east and San Diego County to the south. Yet, many librarians were still on hand to offer comfort and assistance to victims of one of the state's most deadly and costly disasters. Although library staffers were told to go home, storytellers from the Escondido Public Library, for example, drove a bookmobile to the local evacuation center at Faith Emmanuel Church, which housed residents from nearby Valley Center and Ramona. While there, they read stories, entertained children, and distributed free books to kids, Zaslav says.

The Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, and Crestline branches of the San Bernadino County Library, which all sit right in the mountain range where flames raged, were closed for weeks. But librarians and other staffers gathered materials and books for kids at the evacuation center located at the San Bernadino Airport, says County Librarian Ed Kieczykowski. Those living in the mountain-range community needn't worry about overdue books—all materials were postdated to November 21. "We'll be empathetic," says Kieczykowski, adding that four library employees lost their homes in the blaze. "We have a list of all residences from the affected areas, so we'll be able to write those off." Meanwhile, the Yucaipa branch library at the base of the mountain has been designated as the primary source of information for those directly affected by the fires.

All 32 branches of the San Diego County Library were shut October 27 and 28, and some remained closed until November 5 due to poor air quality and no electricity. Although computer systems and children's programs were unavailable, libraries set up manual checkout stations to help patrons "keep their mental health," says Ellen Zyroff, a library spokesperson.

Luckily, none of the branches were destroyed, but the Julian and Crest branches "came within a block of the fires," Zyroff adds. Two bookmobiles, which typically travel to nearby areas without libraries, distributed free books throughout November to kids in Alpine, Ramona, and Valley Center, and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, a professional organization for authors and illustrators, has plans to donate more books.