HomeMy WebLinkAboutSPJT Minutes 1997-02-19SRCC/Bd. of Lib. Tr. MINUTES (Special Annual) 2/19/97 Page 1
LIBRARY MEETING ROOM, 1100 "E" STREET, SAN RAFAEL, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 1997,
7:45 PM
Special Joint Annual Meeting:
San Rafael City Council/
Board of Library Trustees
Present: CITY COUNCIL
Albert J. Boro, Mayor
Cyr N. Miller, Councilmember
Gary O. Phillips, Councilmember
Robert Katz, Board Member
Ivy Wellington, Board Member
Present: BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES:
Glena Coleman, Chair
Beth Grasham, Board Member
John Haeuser, Board Member
Absent: Paul M. Cohen , Councilmember
Barbara Heller, Councilmember
Others Present: Rod Gould, City Manager
Vaughn Stratford, Library Director
Gail Lockman, Asst. Library Director
SPECIAL JOINT CITY COUNCIL/BOARD OF LIBRARY TRUSTEES ANNUAL MEETING - File 9-3-61
After introductions, Library Director Vaughn Stratford and Assistant Library
Director Gail Lockman gave a brief overview of the planning process and the strategic
focus areas identified through this process. The planning process was initiated
for two reasons. The first issue is the problem of the aged and undersized building
which is the single greatest impediment to providing adequate library service to
the community. The second issue is the new information technologies which
fundamentally alter the way that the Library does business. Because the technology
is changing so rapidly, planning is essential if the Library is to stay a little
ahead of the curve. In the planning process the Library held one facilitated
all -staff meeting, and a meeting with the Library Board, staff representatives,
and Councilmember Phillips. In addition, there were several small group meetings
of the staff, and several discussions of the plan at regular Library Board meetings.
The planning process identified five areas of strategic focus:
Customer Service: Although everything within the Library plan could be considered
a sub -set of this broad category, we have defined it as a focus on improving existing
services, assessing the relevance and popularity of current services, and evaluating
the feasibility of new service offerings.
Electronic Delivery of Service: The Library is the first City department to provide
service online to the public using the new information technologies. This is such
a rapidly changing area that we feel that it merits its own independent status as
an area of strategic focus . In the next few years we anticipate offering new services
online to the community and upgrading existing services.
Library Building: More about this further on in the minutes.
Cultural Diversity: In the last ten years San Rafael's Latino population has grown
225%, to the point where it comprises almost 15% of the total population of the
City. This mirrors (or perhaps "magnifies" is a better word) a statewide demographic
trend. The Library must begin to make its services relevant to this growing segment
of the community.
North San Rafael & East San Rafael: Service to Terra Linda residents and residents
of East San Rafael is a Council priority, and an issue for all City services, including
the Library.
LIBRARY BUILDING
NEED
Current Collection: There is not sufficient space for current collections. Even
with 25% of collection in circulation at any one time, the shelves are almost filled
to capacity.
Future Collection: There is no space for expansion of the collection (see above).
A case in point, in the next several years the Library will receive a large bequest
($40,000 to $50,000 annually) for the purchase of books and other materials on the
outdoors. Over the course of several years this bequest would give the San Rafael
Public Library the premier public library collection on the outdoors in the Bay
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Area. If the Library were to receive this bequest tomorrow, we would be faced with
the problem of where to house this collection.
Seating: Currently there is only room for 60 seats for the public. Given the size
of the San Rafael community and current use of the Library, there should be seating
for 400.
Electronic Workstations: The current building is woefully inadequate to support
the profusion of new electronic workstations for OPACIs, CD ROM, and Internet because
it lacks the basic wiring, cabling, and electrical infrastructure. These
workstations require more space than reference books and the card catalog.
Etc. Etc.: Children's program space, meeting room space, group study space, space
for Friends and volunteers, space for literacy program, space for technical
processing, etc., etc.
COUNCIL AND BOARD DISCUSSION
•Councilmembers and Library Board members identified a number of issues which are
relevant to the expansion or construction of a new Library, most of which must
be addressed if the Library is to be successful in getting voter approval for
expansion or construction of a new Library.
• Service to Terra Linda - How will a new Downtown Library improve services for Northern
San Rafael - close to 30% of the San Rafael electorate live in this area.
*Re: service to Terra Linda and the Canal, the Library should consider the idea
of a "virtual" or "electronic" branch Library in which the Downtown Library
extends services to outlying areas electronically. This would employ the
concept of the "smart building" and the Downtown Library as a hub for information
exchange.
•Relationship/Role of Downtown San Rafael Public Library to Marin County Civic Center
Library, and to the school libraries.
*Public perception that the Internet and the new information technologies either
render libraries obsolete, or diminish the need for a larger library.
*What are the operational implications (meaning costs) of a new building, or expansion
of the existing building.
*The Library is an important element of the Downtown Vision.
*The chances of success for a library bond measure are good. Not only have there
been three successful library tax measures in Marin recently (Mill Valley,
Marin County, Belvedere -Tiburon), but in the last five years in California
as a whole, library referenda have enjoyed as 67% success rate.
The joint special meeting was adjourned at 8:55 PM.
JEANNE M. LEONCINI, City Clerk
By: Vaughn Stratford, Library Director
APPROVED THIS DAY OF 1997
MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL
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