PACOIMA : Homework Center Opens at Library

Scissors in hand, photographers ready, Councilman Richard Alarcon was poised to cut the ribbon in front of a group of third-graders on hand to witness the opening of a new Homework Center at the Pacoima branch of the Los Angeles Public Library.

But first Alarcon, a former teacher, had a lesson for them.

“When I cut this ribbon, that symbolizes the gift of knowledge we are giving you,” he said. “But you have to promise me you are going to take care of it. You have to nurture it and when you are ready, you will use it to help your community.”

He paused a second, then asked, “You promise?”

The children, mostly from Haddon Avenue Elementary School, nodded their heads and Alarcon cut the ribbon, after first pretending he was going to cut a girl’s ponytail.

The Pacoima branch had been closed for five months by the Northridge earthquake. And the ceremony Thursday marked the beginning of a new era for the facility, said Lupe Canales, the senior librarian.

It is the 12th city library in the past year to get a computerized homework center, which includes access to a reference database, educational games and word processing. A similar homework center opened earlier at the West Valley library branch.

The children have been full of enthusiasm since the computers were first installed about two weeks ago, Canales said. Some immediately started pounding on the keys, jamming the computer.

“It took me two hours to get them working again,” Canales said. Since then, access to the computers has been limited so that programs could be installed.

The children will be trained on how to use the machines properly, but the computers have made an impact already, library officials said.

The computers, which cost nearly $20,000 including software programs, were acquired through a donation from the California Community Foundation and the Library Foundation of Los Angeles. The software programs include one for resume writing that adults can use when looking for jobs.

Across the room, 9-year-old Stefanie Allen of North Hollywood was scrolling through the offerings on one of the six new computers, looking for a reference to Michael Jordan. “Michelin” was on the screen.

“It’s not here,” she said. She was advised to try looking up Jordan. But before she got to Jordan, she spotted a listing for Elton John and pulled it up.

“I like the songs,” she said. “Right now I’m looking for books that I can read.”

David Haut, a spokesman for the city library, said officials want to put homework centers in as many branches as possible, but that depends on the availability of funds.