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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLib Measure C Library BudgetMAYOR GARY O. PHILLIPS VICE MAYOR MARC LEVINE COUNCILMEMBER DAMON C014NOLLY COUNCILMEMBER BARBARA HELLER ER ANDREW CUYUGAN MCCULLOUGH 211 0 Nffi O, W k'kl 1, ALI F11 r LAI r PHONE: 415-485-3325 To: Mayor Phillips and City Council Nancy Mackle, City Manager From: Sarah Houghton, Library Director SUBJECT: June 18th City Council Study Session: Information and consideration of the outlook for the Special Library Parcel Tax (Measure C) portion of the Library's budget over the remaining 5 years of the parcel tax. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council: 1) Review report and provide preliminary feedback to staff regarding use of the Special Library Parcel Tax, and: 2) Authorize staff to conduct a community needs assessment over the next six months and return to City Council with a staff recommendation on balancing the Special Library Parcel Tax budget, which will be tied to the library's strategic goals and plans for the next 5 years. BACKGROUND: The Library's budget is currently funded approximately 68% from the General Fund, 29% from the Special Library Parcel Tax, and 3% from donations from the Friends of the Library and other individual donations. The San Rafael Public Library has four primary competing priorities for funding: 1. Maximizing hours open to the public (tied to regular hire staffing and extra help staffing) 2. Maintaining an up-to-date collection of materials for check-out (books, movies, music, periodicals, eBooks, digital resources) 3. Establishing organizational stability (retaining an Assistant Director position for succession planning, redundancy, and adequate organizational oversight) 4. Funding for capital needs (supporting a fund to utilize in 2017 for plans for a new building or renovations of the existing building) With the current budget projections of significant increased staff costs for the foreseeable future, it's not feasible for the library to maintain current levels of funding 1400 FIFTH AVENUE - PO Box 151560, SAN RAFAEL, CA 94915-1560 WWW.Crl-YOFSANRAFAEL.ORG 41,E - G, ( and dedication to all four priorities. The Special Library Parcel Tax budget was presented as a seven year plan and approved by Council in a City Council Report from Library Director David Dodd on November 1, 2010 (see Attachment A). Without modifications beyond those proposed by staff to balance the budget for the first six months of 2012/2013, and assuming 5% staffing costs (salaries and/or benefits) increases annually, the Parcel Tax Budget has a projected $600,000 cumulative deficit at the end of year 7, due to staffing cost increases that were not adequately projected. Staff has created a seven year status quo forecast for the life of the tax (see Attachment B). Upon commencement of construction, Target will contribute $250,000 ($25,000 annually for ten years). These funds will be dedicated to the Library Foundation, whose purpose is to work toward building a new library facility in San Rafael, The first payment is currently expected to be received at the time of the Target groundbreaking in September 2012. ANALYSIS: San Rafael Public Library has four primary competing funding priorities. 1. Open Hours - After the passage of Measure C, expanded library hours were offered in an attempt to offer the best possible community service. However, the amount of increased open hours that the library can support (from 48 to 59 Downtown, and from 30 to 35 at Pickleweed) was overly -optimistic. With two years of actual costs into the tax's seven year cycle, and with the reduced work week for all staff for the last fiscal year and this coming fiscal year (which equates to losing a full time position for the library), we cannot sustain the current number of open hours with current staffing models. Any reductions to current staffing funding, be it extra help staffing funding or regular hire permanent positions, will quickly result in the need for further reduced hours. The popular Sunday hours that the library added are particularly expensive because per the MOU with SEIU, regular hire staff receives time -and - a -half pay for hours worked on Sunday. Staff can also work those Sunday hours in addition to the regular work week, resulting in overtime or additional benefits costs for part-time employees. As a result, Sunday's open hours cost the library significantly more than any other open hours during the week. Consistently, the San Rafael Public Library spends less per resident on operating expenses (which is mostly staffing) than any other library in Marin County (source: California Library Statistics 2011, California State Library): San Rafael I San Anselmo E Larkspur I Marin 'I Sausalito Mill Belvedere Count v I Vallev $63.21 $84.86 $84.86 1 $85.13 J$124.13 I$153.04 1 2 In short, we are not over -staffed when compared to other libraries —quite the opposite. However, as discussed below, our staffing levels and staffing priorities need to be assessed as part of a strategic planning process. 2. Materials - The library's primary service to the community is offering a robust and current collection of current books, audio books, subscriptions to magazines and newspapers, and digital subscriptions to homework help resources, eBooks, eAudioBooks, and online magazines and newspapers. Continuing to offer a robust and current collection is a necessity for a modern library to successfully fulfill its mission. Currently, only 25% of funding for materials in the library (books, movies, music, periodicals, digital materials) comes from the General Fund. 14 % comes from the Friends of the Library, but the bulk (61 %) comes from the Parcel Tax. Any reductions to materials spending would have dramatic results, as the San Rafael Public Library already spends far less on materials per resident than any other library in Marin County (source: California Library Statistics 2011, California State Library): San Rafael San Anselmo Larkspur Marin County Sausalito Belvedere Mill Valley $2.64 $3.97 _$4.55 - $6.12 $10.74 $12.91 $13.53 Reductions to the material budget from any of our three funding sources will radically affect our ability to provide information and entertainment to the residents of San Rafael. Every year that the materials budget is funded at a low level creates a permanent gap in our collection, as the popular books from that year simply won't ever be in our collection. As a result, our collection overall becomes less current, more aged, and less appealing for check-out. This is particularly damaging in our children's materials where a lack of currency can have detrimental effects on our ability to provide adequate and accurate curriculum support materials for local schools, which have increasingly lost support and funding for school libraries and school librarians. 3. Organizational Stability - At the June V, City Council meeting, Citv Council directed that we leave the Assistant Director position vacant for the remainder of 2012, while the strategic planning process is undertaken. The implications of eliminating this position on a permanent basis is something to be studied carefully, as the Library would be left in a position of organizational vulnerability. With only one management -level person in the department, it means there would be no redundancy, back-up, or succession planning in management within the department. The loss of this position, temporarily or K permanently also results in a 50% reduction in technology classes, transfer of all project management and staff supervision to the Director, loss of 15 hours per week of librarian desk staffing, a significant loss of community outreach, elimination of potential digital library improvements, loss of any back-up Spanish-speaking librarian for Pickleweed,. For purposes of balancing the Parcel Tax budget, it is important to note that the Assistant Director position is funded 30% out of that budget (70% comes from the General Fund). Our staffing levels and staffing priorities need to be assessed as part of a strategic planning process. 4. Capital Set -Aside - The $1 million capital set-aside monies from the Measure C budget was established in the City Council Report from Library Director David Dodd (November 1, 2010) (see Attachment A). From the report: We plan to have a fund set aside through the course of the tax period which will contain enough to fund a community needs assessment, initial architectural planning, and any necessary grant -specific expenses. Concurrently, the San Rafael Public Library Foundation will begin a concerted effort to determine the availability of private and community funding for an improved facility. Within the next several months, the Library would like to call for a Council Study Session to coordinate efforts towards library facilities. Should necessary interim expenses occur, this fund may also be tapped to augment available City capital improvement funds, such as for new carpeting. and: Over the course of the tax, zine plan to set aside this initial year sum, and annual contributions from the tax, to achieve $1 million ($100,000 per year, plus or minus) to be held for a new and improved Downtown Library sinking fund. We also anticipate the need to spend some amount during the period of the tax on necessary facility repairs or improvements, and will plan to set aside a total of $250,000 over the seven years to be sufficient for equipment and facility repair needs. Actual results from year end accounting will determine the final allocations to both of these capital endeavors. Operating expenses from Measure "C" tax revenues will be balanced with the need to meet these two capital funding expectations over the course of the seven year tax period. It should also be noted that the goal of setting aside $250,000 over seven years for regular equipment and facility repair needs was abandoned after the first year in order to maintain other budget lines (staffing, materials), reducing the seven year total to $140,000 instead of $250,000. All future budget predictions and scenarios assume the lower $140,000 total. Strategic Planning Process: During the remainder of 2012, library staff will be conducting a community needs assessment and building a concise strategic action plan for library goals and priorities for the next five years (the remaining life of the tax measure). Staff will conduct a survey in front of all of San Rafael's 11 supermarkets during different days and times, asking residents to fill out a brief survey about library services. An effort will be made to survey as broad a cross- section of San Rafael's residents as possible. The survey is still being constructed. From the data gathered from our community members, staff will create a strategic plan for the library's operations as well as a more specific operational plan detailing how to address the community's needs within our budget constraints, including the pending deficit in the Parcel Tax budget. We will come back to the Council at that point with recommendations and more information. Council's direction regarding the Measure C budget especially at that point will affect the library's ability to act on specific aspects of the strategic plan. In the meantime, however, it is essential to begin to acknowledge and address the long- term ramifications of the Parcel Tax budget challenges. FISCAL IMPACT: Not addressing these budget problems long-term would result in a projected $600,000 cumulative deficit over the 7 year term of the tax. As the Parcel Tax budget is self-contained and must balance at the end of the 7 years, this is not an option. OPTIONS: Outlined in very broad strokes are these four competing priorities, and what the estimated effects would be of making cuts to different areas for the remaining five years of the Special Parcel Tax budget. This assumes current staffing levels and that any cuts would be during our already minimally staffed hours. It also assumes that we would cut all temporary help (substitute) staff funding before we would begin position eliminations (either through layoffs or attrition) of regular hire staff positions. Estimated Service and Priority Changes and Reductions Scenario Capital Open Hours Materials Organization Set -Aside Stability Scenario 1 Keep at Starting 2013/2014: Reduce books, Keep Assistant (Attachment $1,000,000 • Reduce Downtown periodicals, and Director C) hours 6/week (close digital position vacant M -Th at Bpm resources permanently I instead of Spm, funding by 43% open at 12pm Tu starting FY I instead of 10am) 2014/2015 • Reduce Pickleweed continuing hours 4/week (close through Tu -Th at 7pm 2016/2017 j instead of Bpm, open at 12pm Th s instead of 11arn) Scenario 2 Reduce to Starting 2013/2014: Reduce Fill Assistant (Attachment $750,000 • Reduce Downtown materials Director D) hours 6/week (close funding by 26% position M -Th at Bpm starting starting 2013/2014 instead of Spm, 2013/2014 open at 12pm Tu continuing instead of 10am) through • Reduce Pickleweed 2016/2017 hours 4/week (close Tu -Th at 7pm instead of Bpm, open at 12pm Th instead of 11am) Scenario 3 Reduce to Starting 2013/2014: No reductions Fill Assistant (Attachment $500,000 9 Reduce Downtown Director E) hours 2/week (close position M -Tu at Bpm 2013/2014 instead of Spm) • Reduce Pickleweed hours 1/ week (open at 12pm Th instead of 11am) ACTION REQUIRED: Provide preliminary feedback on capital set aside, recognizing that staff will return with a community needs assessment and a formal recommendation on balancing the Special Library Parcel Tax budget, tied to the library's strategic goals and plans for the next 5 years. 31 c►ry aF`rM����I r i► ATTACHMENT A Agenda Item No: 7 Meeting Date: November 1, 2010 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: Library City Manager Approval: Prepared by: David Dodd City Librarian SUBJECT: Plan to Implement Special Library Parcel Tax funds. RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends City Council approve the Library's plan for implementation of the Special Library Parcel Tax funds. BACKGROUND: On June 8, 2010, San Rafael voters passed Measure C, providing for a Special Library Services Parcel Tax in the amount of $49 per parcel, to be used to maintain and expand library services. The text of the Measure on the ballot read as follows: To provide a consistent, locally -controlled funding source, augmenting current general fund allocations for the San Rafael Public Library, for expanded hours, improved facilities, equipment, materials, and services for children, teens, and adults, shall the City of San Rafael be authorized to levy an annual $49 parcel tax (slightly higher rates for multiple -unit residential parcels) for a period of seven years, with oversight by an independent citizens committee and with exemptions for senior citizens? The ordinance itself specifies the following uses for the tax: 3.36.010 — Purposes. This Chapter is adopted to achieve the following, among other purposes, and the City Council directs that the provisions hereof be interpreted in order to accomplish those purposes: A. To staff, provide, maintain and improve hours of operation, services, equipment, facilities, and materials at the San Rafael Public Library; and B. To provide and improve programs and materials for children, teens, adults, seniors, literacy learners and people with disabilities at the San Rafael Public Library; and C. To help with the City's long-term goal of setting aside funds for necessary facility improvements to the San Rafael Public Library. The tax funds will begin to accrue to the City as of December 15, and, even prior to the passage of the measure, Library staff and a Council -appointed Operations Review Task Force had begun to plan for how to budget these funds in order to best fulfill the premise and promise of Measure C. City Finance Director FOR CITY CLERK ONLY Council Meeting: Disposition: SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT 1 Page: 2 Cindy Mosser has estimated that the tax will amount to approximately $820,000 annually in available funds, after senior exemptions and County Assessor's fees, and expects that amount to remain fairly stable throughout the course of the tax. The plan articulated below is the product of work by the Library staff, and has been vetted and supported by the Council -appointed Special Library Parcel Tax Committee (aka Measure C Oversight Committee), as well as by unanimous vote of the Library Board of Trustees. It is based upon the work of the Library Operations Review Task Force, and on user surveys done by that body which were included in the final report of the Task Force to the Council. ANALYSIS: The relevant points from the Library Operations Review Task Force's final report, which was accepted by the City Council on June 7, 2010 (in bold, below), can act as a good guideline for the specific actions being proposed by the spending plan. I have included it below, and added comments which explain how these recommendations will be implemented using the Measure C funds. The intent of this spending plan is two fold. First, resources are allocated to provide sufficient staffing and budgeting for materials to allow for the greatest flexibility over the coming seven years of the life of the tax, so that the Library can respond to any changes in demand or usage. We have specifically worked, over the past two years, on cultivating a greater degree of cross -training among staff in order to allow for the most efficient use of our scarce staff resources, and will continue to do so. All of the positions proposed are to be full-fledged, well-trained staff members, in order to make the plan fluid and interoperable among different parts of the Library. Second, there remains a long standing need to expand the Downtown Library to meet current technology, space and modern programming needs. Studies have been done for over twenty years, noting a larger facility is required to better serve the San Rafael and neighboring populations who regularly utilize our Library. This new tax provides opportunities to set aside funds to commence important early capital improvement work. Additionally, intentionally balancing facility needs with expanded operations provides capital for repairing elements such as carpeting, and also establishing a sinking fund which can be leveraged to attract foundation dollars, grants and other resources. o Open hours at the Downtown and Pickleweed libraries Library staff, working from a history of hours cutbacks and the position eliminations that went along, developed a plan which proposes increasing the open hours at the Downtown Library from 48 to 59 hours per week, and at the Pickleweed Library from 30 to 35 hours per week. To do this, we are proposing adding the necessary staffing, as follows: • Assistant Library Director ($161,078): This position will consolidate a previous Supervising Librarian position, along with a previously -eliminated middle management position, in order to provide oversight for Technical Services, Circulation, and other appropriate mid -management tasks such as community liaison and assistance with administration. The creation of a mid - management position will bring increased capacities for leadership, vision, and planning to the Library, and free up the City Librarian to provide more pro -active leadership as well. • Children's Librarian (.75 at $81,090): Needed to add open hours, outreach, and programs to the children's department downtown. • Adult Librarians (1.75 at $175,876)): Needed for additional hours on the reference desk. Second (filled at .75) position will replace public desk hours lost upon anticipated retirement of a Supervising Librarian. • Library Assistants (2.66 at $171,282): Increasing several part-timers' hours to full-time in order to continue staffing circulation desk at current levels; and to provide for increased workload in Technical Services due to increased purchasing of materials. Also adding a full-time Library Assistant for Circulation / Technical Services for increased open hours. At Pickleweed, add one Library Assistant to provide for increased open hours. • Library Aide (.5 at $22,680): Restore an eliminated position to assist with increased workload in Circulation. • Change one Senior Library Assistant position to a Librarian (net cost $17,822), in order to provide for increased staffing flexibility—allows for single -staffing by this position where needed. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 3 Hours added Downtown include Sunday hours (fpm-5pm); increased evening hours (open until 9 pm Monday through Thursday); hours added at Pickleweed include an additional evening, and earlier hours on two days. The addition of 16 hours to the current schedule will change the scale of all Library operations, including selection and acquisition of materials, processing, circulation, check-in, re -shelving, etc. The sum of the outputs from the added positions, therefore, is much greater than the 14 hours of open time, and extends into many areas of Library operations. ❑ Library Cards for San Rafael school children Planning for this is underway; based upon the example of the Salinas Public Library, which instituted a successful plan to put a library card in every child's pocket throughout Salinas, by working with the local schools. ❑ Rental fees We have eliminated fees for non-fiction DVDs, in order to provide increased availability of these materials, especially for the education community. However, at this time, we do not plan to completely eliminate rental fees for feature film and television series DVDs, as well as for audiobooks, which provide a self-sustaining basis for the collection. We will participate in the City-wide Master Fee Schedule Update process, and will continue to monitor industry trends for the delivery of these materials which may change our approach to charging fees. ❑ Materials budget The proposed budget puts materials expenditures for SRPL, including books, AN, periodicals, and databases, at approximately $219,000, which is much closer to the goal of 10% than previously. This also allows for the Friends of the Library to provide a better source of support for programming and other needs, rather than for a basic operational expense such as books. We have already negotiated contracts for a number of restored and additional databases. ❑ Online homework assistance and job search service This is underway. We are negotiating with a vendor who can provide a package including both of these aspects, serving the full spectrum of lifelong learning and career assistance. ❑ Marin Literacy Program We are looking at ways to include the needs of the Marin Literacy Program as a basic part of our materials budget. More materials for literacy learners and tutors will be purchased and be part of the regular collection, available throughout MARI Net. ❑ Capital improvements, equipment and facilities We plan to have a fund set aside through the course of the tax period which will contain enough to fund a community needs assessment, initial architectural planning, and any necessary grant -specific expenses. Concurrently, the San Rafael Public Library Foundation will begin a concerted effort to determine the availability of private and community funding for an improved facility. Within the next several months, the Library would like to call for a Council Study Session to coordinate efforts towards library facilities. Should necessary interim expenses occur, this fund may also be tapped to augment available City capital improvement funds, such as for new carpeting. Staff is engaged in planning for other recommendations included in the Task Force report, including increased partnerships with local schools (specifically, a library card drive and a co-authored grant to fund one or possibly two liaison positions with the schools), along with our elimination of fees for non -feature film DVDs, in order to make access to instructional materials easier for local educators. Other support: City General Fund support in the current year for these items is budgeted at $2,124,315. The City Library Department also oversees the Marin Literacy program which is not included in these figures and is largely funded by County and donor revenues. We also receive support, especially for children's programs, from the Friends of the Library. Capital Account: Given that the above budget is for an annualized amount, and the fact that we will begin implementing the personnel portions at mid -budget year, we will have a large portion (approximately $300,000) of the staffing funds unspent in the current year. When combined with the $110,000 thousand SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page- 4 noted above, the first year funding will jump-start the capital account, to be set up asaproject account, with these funds. Over the course of the tax, we plan to set aside this initial year sum, and annual contributions from the tax, bmachieve $1 million ($1O8.00O per year, plus orminus) hobeheld for mnew and improved Downtown Library sinking fund. We also anticipate the need to spend some amount during the period of the tax on necessary facility repairs or improvements, and will plan to set aside a total of $250,000 over the seven years will be sufficient for equipment and facility repair needs. Actual results from year end accounting will determine the final allocations to both of these capital endeavors. Operating expenses from Measure "C" tax revenues will be balanced with the need to meet these two capital funding expectations over the course ofthe seven year tax period. Summary: We believe this plan to be true to the intent of Measure C, with a clear emphasis on restoring lost hours and positions, and improving the materials budget, balanced against setting aside prudent sums for the future capital improvement and repair needs of the San Rafael Library. FISCAL IMPACT: The City Council adopted estimated Measure "C" tax revenue and gross expenditures sum when the City budget was adopted last July. Expenditure of funds accruing via the Special Library Services Parcel Tax, and the Specific Plan outlined above, would bemodified into the mid year budget review scheduled for January 2011. No cost to the General Fund is expected as part of approving this spending plan. ACTION REQUIRED: "Approve the Resolution Approving the Library Department spending plan and reorganization to implement the Special Library Parcel Tax (Measure C)." OPTIONS: a) Pass the resolution as presented; or b) return the proposal to the Library Department for further work. ATTACHMENT: Resolution with attached Exhibit (implementation plan) and Exhibit 8 (Seven Year Budget, Special Library Parcel Tax Funds, 2O1O-2U17) RESOLUTION A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL APPROVING THE LIBRARY DEPARTMENT SPENDING PLAN AND REORGANIZATION TO IMPLEMENT THE SPECIAL LIBRARY PARCEL TAX (MEASURE C) WHEREAS, the citizens of the City of San Rafael enacted a Special Library Parcel Tax at the special municipal election held on June 8, 2010; and WHEREAS, the Special Library Parcel Tax takes effect in the fiscal year 2010- 2011, running fbr a period of seven years; and . WHEREAS, the tax is estimated to amount to $820,000 per year for the period of the tax; and WHEREAS, the Library Department has prepared a plan for spending those funds in accordance with the ordinance establishing the Special Library Parcel Tax; and WHEREAS, the Special Library Parcel Tax Committee, established by the City Council to provide citizen oversight, has expressed its unanimous support of the spending plan; and WHEREAS, the San Rafael Public Library Board of Trustees has also unanimously voted in support of the plan; and WHEREAS, the plan was presented at an open public hearing before the City Council on Monday, October 18, 2010, resulting in suggestions for further refinement and additional information; and WHEREAS, staff has revised the plan to reflect the City Council's comments; and WHEREAS, staff has prepared a seven-year budget for implementation of the Em NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN RAFAEL DOES RESOLVE, DETERMINE AND ORDER AS FOLLOWS: The plan dated November 1, 2010 for implementation of the Special Library Parcel Tax, attached hereto as Exhibit A and incorporated herein by reference, and the seven-year budget attached hereto as Exhibit B and incorporated herein by reference, are hereby approved and the Library Director is directed to begin taking steps immediately to see that the plan is implemented. F, 1, Esther C. Beirne, Clerk of the City of San Rafael, hereby certify that the foregoing Resolution was duly and regularly introduced and adopted at a regular meeting of the City Council of the City of San Rafael, held on Monday, the 1st day of November, 2010, by the following vote, to wit: AYES: Councilmembers: NOES: Councilmembers: ABSENT: Councilmembers: Esther C. Beirne, City Clerk 2 EXHIBIT A Eel III VIDT;W-1111 IXAMM SPECIAL LIBRARY SERVICES PARCEL TAX IMPLEMENTATION PLAN Prepared by: David Dodd, Library Director Dated., November 1, 2010 INTRODUCTION: The Special Library Services Parcel Tax Implementation Plan set forth herein is the product of work by the staff of the San Rafael Public Library, and has been vetted and supported by the City Council -appointed Special Library Parcel Tax Committee (aka Measure C Oversight Committee), as well as by unanimous vote of the Library Board of Trustees. It is based upon the work of the Library Operations Review Task Force, and on user surveys done by that body which were included in the final report of the Task Force to the Council. We believe this plan to be true to the intent of Measure C, with a clear emphasis on restoring lost hours and positions, and improving the materials budget, balanced against setting aside prudent sums for the future capital improvement and repair needs of the San Rafael Library. BACKGROUND: On June 8, 2010, San Rafael voters passed Measure C, providing for a Special Library Services Parcel Tax in the amount of $49 per parcel, to be used to maintain and expand library services. The text of the Measure on the ballot read as follows: To provide a consistent, locally -controlled funding source, augmenting current general fund allocations for the San Rafael Public Library, for expanded hours, improved facilities, equipment, materials, and services for children, teens, and adults, shall the City of San Rafael be authorized to levy an annual $49 parcel tax (slightly higher rates for multiple -unit residential parcels) for a period of seven years, with oversight by an independent citizens committee and with exemptions for senior citizens? The ordinance itself specifies the following uses for the tax: 3.36.010 — Purposes. This Chapter is adopted to achieve the following, among other purposes, and the City Council directs that the provisions hereof be interpreted in order to accomplish those purposes: EXHIBIT A A. To staff, provide, maintain and improve hours of operation, services, equipment, facilities, and materials at the San Rafael Public Library; and B. To provide and improve programs and materials for children, teens, adults, seniors, literacy learners and people with disabilities at the San Rafael Public Library, and C. To help with the City's long-term goal of setting aside funds for necessary facility improvements to the San Rafael Public Library. The City's Finance Director has estimated that the City will collect approximately $820,000 annually in available funds, after senior exemptions and County Assessor's fees, and expects that amount to remain fairly stable throughout the course of the tax. INTENT: The intent of the spending plan is two -fold. First, resources are allocated to provide sufficient staffing and budgeting for materials to allow for the greatest flexibility over the coming seven years of the life of the tax, so that the Library can respond to any changes in demand or usage. We have specifically worked, over the past two years, on cultivating a greater degree of cross -training among staff in order to allow for the most efficient use of our scarce staff resources, and will continue to do so. All of the positions proposed are to be full- fledged, well-trained staff members, in order to make the plan fluid and interoperable among different parts of the Library. Second, there remains a long standing need to expand the Downtown Library to meet current technology, space and modern programming needs. Studies have been done for over twenty years, noting a larger facility is required to better serve the San Rafael and neighboring populations who regularly utilize our Library. This new tax provides opportunities to set aside funds to commence important early capital improvement work. Additionally, intentionally balancing facility needs with expanded operations provides capital for repairing elements such as carpeting, and also establishing a sinking fund which can be leveraged to attract foundation dollars, grants and other resources. ELEMENTS OF PLAN: ❑ Open hours at the Downtown and Pickleweed libraries Library staff, working from a history of hours cutbacks and the position eliminations that went along, developed a plan which proposes increasing the open hours at the Downtown Library from 48 to 59 hours per week, and at the Pickleweed Library from 30 to 35 hours per week. To do this, we are proposing adding the necessary staffing, as follows: Assistant Library Director ($161,078): This position will consolidate a previous Supervising Librarian position, along with a previously -eliminated 2 FOX am I ": - d El middle management position, in order to provide oversight for Technical Services, Circulation, and other appropriate mid -management tasks such as community liaison and assistance with administration. The creation of a mid -management position will bring increased capacities for leadership, vision, and planning to the Library, and free up the City Librarian to provide more pro -active leadership as well. • Children's Librarian (.75 at $81,090): Needed to add open hours, outreach, and programs to the children's department downtown. • Adult Librarians (1.75 at $175,876)): Needed for additional hours on the reference desk. Second (filled at .75) position will replace public desk hours lost upon anticipated retirement of a Supervising Librarian. • Library Assistants (2.66 at $171,282): Increasing several part-timers' hours to full-time in order to continue staffing circulation desk at current levels; and to provide for increased workload in Technical Services due to increased purchasing of materials. Also adding a full-time Library Assistant for Circulation / Technical Services for increased open hours. At Pickleweed, add one Library Assistant to provide for increased open hours. • Library Aide (.5 at $22,680): Restore an eliminated position to assist with increased workload in Circulation. • Change one Senior Library Assistant position to a Librarian (net cost $17,822), in order to provide for increased staffing flexibility ---allows for single -staffing by this position where needed. Hours added Downtown include Sunday hours (fpm-5pm); increased evening hours (open until 9 pm Monday through Thursday); hours added at Pickleweed include an additional evening, and earlier hours on two days. The addition of 16 hours to the current schedule will change the scale of all Library operations, including selection and acquisition of materials, processing, circulation, check-in, re -shelving, etc. The sum of the outputs from the added positions, therefore, is much greater than the 14 hours of open time, and extends into many areas of Library operations. u Library Cards for San Rafael school children Planning for this is underway, based upon the example of the Salinas Public Library, which instituted a successful plan to put a library card in every child's pocket throughout Salinas, by working with the local schools. o Rental fees We have eliminated fees for non-fiction DVDs, in order to provide increased availability of these materials, especially for the education community. However, at this time, we do not plan to completely eliminate rental fees for feature film and television series DVDs, as well as for audiobooks, which provide a self-sustaining basis for the collection. We will participate in the City-wide Master Fee Schedule Update process, and will continue to monitor EXHIBIT A industry trends for the delivery of these materials which may change our approach to charging fees. ❑ Materials budget The proposed budget puts materials expenditures for SRPL, including books, AN, periodicals, and databases, at approximately $219,000, which is much closer to the goal of 10% than previously. This also allows for the Friends of the. Library to provide a better source of support for programming and other needs, rather than for a basic operational expense such as books. We have already negotiated contracts for a number of restored and additional databases. ❑ Online homework assistance and job search service This is underway. We are negotiating with a vendor who can provide a package including both of these aspects, serving the full spectrum of lifelong learning and career assistance. ❑ Marin Literacy Program We are looking at ways to include the needs of the Marin Literacy Program as a basic part of our materials budget. More materials for literacy learners and tutors will be purchased and be part of the regular collection, available throughout MARINet. ❑ Capital improvements, equipment and facilities We plan to have a fund set aside through the course of the tax period which will contain enough to fund a community needs assessment, initial architectural planning, and any necessary grant -specific expenses. Concurrently, the San Rafael Public Library Foundation will begin a concerted effort to determine the availability of private and community funding for an improved facility. Within the next several months, the Library would like to Gall for a Council Study Session to coordinate efforts towards library facilities. Should necessary interim expenses occur, this fund may also be tapped to augment available City capital improvement funds, such as for new carpeting. ❑ Other efforts Staff is engaged in planning for other recommendations included in the Task Force report, including increased partnerships with local schools (specifically, a library card drive and a co-authored grant to fund one or possibly two liaison positions with the schools), along with our elimination of fees for non -feature film DVDs, in order to make access to instructional materials easier for local educators. OTHER FUNDING: City General Fund support in the current year for these items is budgeted at $2,124,315. The City Library Department also oversees the Marin Literacy program which is not included in these figures and is largely 4 EXHIBIT A funded by County and donor revenues. We also receive support, especially for children's programs, from the Friends of the Library. CAPITAL ACCOUNT: Given that the above budget is for an annualized amount, and the fact that we will begin implementing the personnel portions at mid -budget year, we will have a large portion (approximately $300,000) of the staffing funds unspent in the current year. When combined with the $110,000 thousand noted above, the first year funding will jump-start the capital account, to be set up as a project account, with these funds. Over the course of the tax, we plan to set aside this initial year sum, and annual contributions from the tax, to achieve $1 million ,($100,000 per year, plus or minus) to be held for a new and improved Downtown Library sinking fund. We also anticipate the need to spend some amount during the period of the tax on necessary facility repairs or improvements, and will plan to set aside a total of $250,000 over the seven years will be sufficient for equipment and facility repair needs. Actual results from year end accounting will determine the final allocations to both of these capital endeavors. Operating expenses from Measure "C" tax revenues will be balanced with the need to meet these two capital funding expectations over the course of the seven year tax period.