Central Library

* Re “Checking It Out,” April 29, on Los Angeles’ Central Library’s 10th anniversary of the fire:

The Times got a great ivory-tower view of Central Library and its current state of affairs. While it is true that the building is beautiful, the staff is 33% of what had been slated for its opening, and the materials budget is one-quarter what it was when the library was open in temporary quarters on Spring Street. Now the mayor’s budget calls for the staff to be reduced by another 4% and to extend itself to cover another 10% of service (on Sundays), while cutting the budget again.

The story does not mention the hard-working firefighters who saved what they could under horrible circumstances or the heroic staff who worked for a year and a half in the burnt-out shell of a building. To these people I say thank you and happy anniversary. To the mayor, I say please value Central Library as the asset to the culture of Los Angeles that it is, and quit using it to play politics.

PATRICIA CLARK

Los Angeles