December 2025
City of Camarillo Public Library is where discovery leads. We offer information resources that nurture learning andstrengthen the community. We are open to the public Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-8 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. For access to our digital resources, please check our website: www.camarillolibrary.org.
Library Highlights
Camarillo Public Library
Library & RFBC Activity Report
This month the library brought holiday magic with special guests Santa and Mrs. Claus. Over two festive evenings, more than 380 people listened to holiday tales, sang popular holiday sing-alongs and enjoyed the opportunity for a family photo with the special guests. Santa Storytime has become a cherished tradition for local families and allows people to experience holiday joy without any financial burden.
To kick off the holiday season, Adult Services offered forty Winter Book Wreath Take & Make craft kits for patrons to complete at home. The kits were claimed almost immediately by request, and additional printouts and supply lists were provided to 19 more patrons. For those needing a break from the stress of the holiday season, Adult Services also offered a destress night that included activities focused on relaxation and mindfulness. Twenty-eight people attended.
For the third year in a row, the Russell Fischer Business Collection (RFBC) hosted a successful Jr.
Entrepreneur Marketplace at Santa’s Village on December 13. Sixteen students between the ages of 9 and 14 sold handmade products such as printed holiday photos, handmade candles and jewelry, 3D-printed cookie cutters and custom pet portraits. In total, they spoke with more than 480 shoppers, and each student earned an average profit of $79.
Jr. Entrepreneur Marketplace
Winter Book WreathSanta and Mrs. Claus
Library & RFBC Activity Report - December 2025
Literacy / ESL
Adult Literacy and ESL had 56 volunteer tutors and adult learners practicing reading, writing and speaking for a total of 337 hours throughout December. This included 26 active tutors contributing 184 hours and 30 active adult learners participating for a total of 153 hours. The Adult Literacy Center hosted four Conversation Groups each week—three in person and one via Zoom —for a total of 14 sessions in December. Forty-seven participants from around the world practiced listening and speaking skills with the support of 25 volunteer tutors and Adult Literacy/ESL staff. As we reflect on 2025, many tutors shared exciting updates about learner progress. For example, two learners are preparing to register at Ventura College for the spring semester, an important and well-earned next step in their educational journeys. In addition, we celebrated a new Career Online High School (COHS) graduate this month, and another learner reached a major milestone by passing the U.S. citizenship test. Throughout the year, tutors shared how encouraged they were by learners’ growing confidence, stronger conversation skills and improved English grammar.
R U S S E L L F I S C H E R B U S I N E S S C O L L E C T I O N O p e r a t i n g w i t h i n t h e C a m a r i l l o P u b l i c L i b r a r y , t h e R u s s e l l F i s c h e r B u s i n e s s C o l l e c t i o n ( R F B C ) i s e m b e d d e d i n t h e C a m a r i l l o b u s i n e s s c o m m u n i t y a n d g r e a t e r e n t r e p r e n e u r e c o s y s t e m . T h e R F B C p r o v i d e s p r o f e s s i o n a l a n d b u s i n e s s d e v e l o p m e n t o p p o r t u n i t i e s t h r o u g h s p e c i a l e v e n t s a n d a c u r a t e d c o l l e c t i o n o f t o p b u s i n e s s r e s o u r c e s .
December was a successful month for the Russell Fischer Business Collection (RFBC), which concluded the year with four well-received programs: the Jr. Entrepreneur Marketplace, Professional Digital Headshots, Get Your Small Business Online and the Community Wisdom Exchange.
When asked about their favorite part of the program, the Jr. Entrepreneurs overwhelmingly cited interacting with the public. Quoted responses included: “The thing I enjoyed the most was making friends with the other Jr. Entrepreneurs.” “My personal favorite about this was the greeting with all the people.” “The day of selling was so much fun, & making the items to sell was also fun!” “I liked seeing people walk by our booth, just seeing the whole thing!” For the third year in a row, RFBC hosted another triumphant Jr. Entrepreneur Marketplace on December 13.
It was rewarding to see the culmination of the Jr. Entrepreneurs’ hard work after attending workshops, completing business plans, creating products and applying their business acumen in a live sales environment. All 16 entrepreneurs, aged 9 to 14, earned a profit during the four-hour marketplace, interacting with more than 480 shoppers. On average, each Jr. Entrepreneur sold 30 items for a profit of $79.
L i b r a r y & R F B C A c t i v i t y R e p o r t - D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 5 P a g e 3 o f 4
J r . E n t r e p r e n e u r M a r k e t p l a c e
The third annual Professional Digital Headshots program was also a resounding success, attracting 40 attendees who took advantage of the complimentary professional headshot opportunity. This service supported a diverse group, including small business employees, entrepreneurs, job seekers and individuals in need of an updated professional image. Attendees represented multiple industries, including healthcare, real estate, office administration and marketing. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many participants expressing gratitude for the high-quality service provided by Motionshooter Photography. Due to its popularity, RFBC is considering offering a repeat session in late spring.
Get Your Small Business Online: Class Presentations featured local small business owners sharing innovative ideas after completing a digital upskilling program presented by Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) for The Economic Development Collaborative. Participating business owners from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties represented a wide range of industries, including nail salons, florists, photography, divorce coaching and luxury candle making.
RFBC also partnered with Adult Services to launch the Community Wisdom Exchange, a heartfelt program designed to foster connection and shared learning. Patrons contributed their best professional or personal advice through hand-crafted messages and, in return, took a piece of wisdom left by another community member. The Community Wisdom Exchange saw participation from 638 patrons in December, bringing the total participation to 1,109.
Russell Fischer Business Collection (Cont’d.)
Looking ahead to the New Year, RFBC will launch a new
Modern Home Economics program blending life skills and
personal finance. The first workshop, led by an Accredited Financial Counselor, will focus on budget building using real expenses, providing a framework for income, needs and
priorities with Ventura County-specific examples. The
second workshop will focus on organization, exploring how the KonMari Method® can organize physical and digital life to uncover savings and encourage intentional financial
decisions. All attendees will receive a resource guide.
In addition, RFBC will offer a Fraud and Scams Prevention Workshop presented by a Chase Community Manager,
helping participants identify common scams and learn the steps to take if they or a loved one becomes a victim of fraud or identity theft.
Dec. 2025
42,824
5,297
6,195
3,106
1,360
564
6,120
Dec. 2024
42,412
4,443
4,989
2,391
1,745
356
4,271
Dec. 2025
3 4
1,172
4 Dec. 2024
4 2
669
3 Physical Material Checkouts
eBook Checkouts
eAudiobook Checkouts
Digital Magazine Checkouts
Video Plays
New Cards Issued
Reference Inquiries
M e t r i c s a n d S t a t i s t i c s
R U S S E L L F I S C H E R B U S I N E S S C O L L E C T I O N M e t r i c s a n d S t a t i s t i c s
C A M A R I L L O P U B L I C L I B R A R Y
L i b r a r y & R F B C A c t i v i t y R e p o r t - D e c e m b e r 2 0 2 5 P a g e 4 o f 4
Nov. 2025
47,471
5,254
5,907
2,830
1,586
645
6,664
Nov. 2024
34,062
4,086
4,846
2,332
1,742
415
4,976
Reference Inquiries
Programs
Programs - Attendees
Meetings
4 1 0 1 L a s P o s a s R o a d
C a m a r i l l o , C A 9 3 0 1 0
M - T h 1 0 a . m . - 8 p . m .
F - S u 1 0 a . m . - 5 p . m .
( 8 0 5 ) 3 8 8 - 5 2 2 2
c a m a r i l l o l i b r a r y . o r g