City of Camarillo Mission
Dedicated to providing effective and efficient municipal services that promote a high quality of life, economic vitality, and a safe environment for all.
Community
Camarillo Public Library proudly engaged with the
community throughout FY 2025-2026, providing a
safe and enriching environment where people can live,
work, and play.
Awesome in Autism Award
Camarillo Public Library was honored to be awarded as Community Partner of the Year for its sensory –friendly programs and autism–inclusive experiences at the 2025 Awesome in Autism Award Ceremony hosted by the Autism Society Ventura County. another 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
cookier 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
For the third year in a row, the
Russell Fischer Business
Collection (RFBC) hosted
The Library participated in the
Police Department’s Third Annual
Trunk or Treat held at the nearby City
of Camarillo Police Station. Over
2,000 kids and family members
attended this highly popular
event. Library staff dressed up
their vehicles and handed out
more than 500 activity books for
children.
Laptop Kiosk
The Library acquired a new
12-bay laptop dispenser to
provide modern technology and
greater flexibility for patrons.
The dispenser is located on the
second floor and allows patrons
to check out a laptop for use
anywhere in the Library
building. When a patron has
completed their computer
session, the laptop is returned
to the dispenser, where it is
charged and prepared for the
next user .
Camarillo Police
Department’s Third
Annual Trunk or Treat Event
Community Wisdom
Exchange
From November – December, the Library launched a Community Wisdom Exchange, designed to foster connection and share learning.
Patrons contributed their best professional or personal advice through handcrafted messages and took a piece of wisdom left by another community member in return. This heartfelt exchange received 1,109 responses.
Engagement
Camarillo Public Library takes pride in fostering
community connection and lifelong learning through
enriched programs offered throughout FY 2025-2026,
bringing people together in shared experiences.
Camarillo Reads
This year, we were delighted to showcase bestselling author Lisa See at Camarillo Reads: One City, One Book . See discussed her remarkable book, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women before an engaging audience of 177 participants in the Community Room on September
27. Camarillo Councilmember and Library Board President Dr. Martita Martinez-Bravo introduced Lisa See and Library Director Mandy Nasr at the program. Leading up to Camarillo Reads, we hosted a dynamic series of cultural events deeply connected to Chinese history and culture. Highlights included a tour of Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, a Chinese tea blend workshop, an introduction to traditional Chinese medicine with a local practitioner, a screening of a Chinese American film documentary produced by the Ventura County Chinese American Historical Society , and Chinese art workshops for kids and teens. Collectively, more than 380 people attended a Camarillo Reads program.
CLA PRExcellence
Awards
California Library Association
(CLA) Annual Conference was held
in Riverside from October 23 – 25.
Six staff members attended the
conference to learn more about
the library profession and gather
new ideas for future programs
and events. For the second year in
a row, Marketing Coordinator
Cheyanne Walker received the
PRExcellence award for her media
entry, “Looking for a Book in
Fiction ”. Camarillo Public Library
was honored to be recognized
along with other media winners
across the State of California.
Teen Civic Engagement
Club
To create better opportunities for
future leaders, Camarillo Public
Library launched a Teen Civic
Engagement Club, giving teens a
voice in local decisions. From
September 2025 through June
2026, the Library’s Teen Civic
Engagement Club invited guest
speakers such as Library Board
President and Councilmember
Susan Santangelo, Mayor David
Tennessen, Assistant City Manager
Carmen Nichols, and staff
members from Public Works and
Economic Development to better
understand the role of City
Council and City Services. In total,
the Teen Civic Engagement Club
had ten speakers throughout the
year with 97 teens participating.
These learning opportunities
motivated members of the Teen
Civic Engagement Club to speak
during City Council meetings on
issues that resonate with teens,
such as public transit, mental
health, and creating safe teen
spaces.
Cultural Events
City Council’s goal is to provide a safe and enriched
environment where people can live, work and play. The Library provides opportunities to foster an inclusive and accessible space for all by providing cultural programs that celebrate our community. Some of the standout cultural events from the past year included:
National Hispanic Heritage Month
Black History Month
Women’s History Month
Arab American Heritage Month
Asian American and Pacific Islander
(AAPI) Heritage Month
Disability Pride Month
Adult Services hosted local
organization PathPoint, which runs day
programming for Autistic and
otherwise disabled adults. Participants
from PathPoint spoke about what
Disability Pride Month means to them,
sharing their perspectives with an
audience of 37.
Learning
In FY 2025-2026, Camarillo Public Library empowered
learners of all ages through educational programs,
career development opportunities, and practical
resources designed to build knowledge and confidence.
Career Online High School Graduation
The Library was proud to honor and celebrate five new
graduates from the Career Online High School program at the Camarillo City Council meeting on April 22. These students earned high school diplomas and career certificates in fields such as office management, manufacturing, commercial
driving, and general career preparedness with scholarships paid for by the California State Library.
Job Help
Russell Fischer Business Collection led an “ Ask an HR Expert: Job Help ” workshop, which provided insider advice to job seekers from an expert HR panel: Wendy Levy, the Director of Human Resources for the City of Camarillo; Laura Martinez, the President/CEO of HR Force Inc.; Nidia Rodriguez, the Associate Director of Human Resources for Meissner. Business Services Coordinator Maegan Profeta served as the panel moderator and posed questions that would assist local job seekers. Topics discussed included the best ways to find a job in Ventura County, AI and résumés, and negotiating salary and benefits.
The Library partnered with the City of Camarillo for a Community Job Fair on Monday, May 4. Thirty employers set up in the Library’s Community Room and over 400 people attended. Library Director Mandy Nasr and City of Camarillo Human Resources Director Wendy Levy assisted job seekers in résumé reviews and mock interviews. Together they gave professional advice to 40 people.
In addition, Business Services Coordinator Maegan Profeta represented the Russell Fischer Business Collection (RFBC) at the Community Job Fair, where she interacted with over 100 people about RFBC’s job seeker resources. RFBC was delighted to donate a raffle prize of helpful books for job seekers to support the Community Job Fair. This outreach effort increased awareness of RFBC’s current offerings to
Community Job Fair
job seekers, which include new collection materials, a
new database for job seekers called “My Jobs Library,” and Quick Résumé Reviews. Many hopeful job seekers were
grateful for assistance in their job search.
Partnership & Support
The success of the Library is measured by the strength
of its relationships within the greater community. The
Friends of the Camarillo Library is a non-profit
organization that is run solely by local volunteers.
The Friends of the Camarillo Library
The Friends of the Camarillo Library generously donated $13 4,000 in FY 2025-202 6, supporting book and material purchases, programs, and services. The Friends raised funds through the Friends Bookstore, Community Giving Programs, and Friends Tours, including local trips to theater performances, museums, wineries, and gardens. The commitment and service of the Friends is truly astonishing, and we deeply appreciate all they do for the Camarillo Public Library.
4101 Las Posas Road • Camarillo, California 93010 •
(805) 388-5222
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