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HomeMy WebLinkAboutLib Library Strategic Plan 2013-2017 and Special Library Parcel Tax BudgetQlPY nl,5aft Agenda Item No: 5. b Meeting Date: December 17, 2012 ► . .111[ 11111 1111111011111 111LIM MIN. ► ► ► Department: Library Prepared by: Department Director City Manager Approva SUBJECT: Report and Recommendation regarding Acceptance of the Library 2013-2017 Strategic Plan and Approval of the Special Library Parcel Tax budget RECOMMENDATION: Staff recommends that the City Council accept the Library's 2013-2017 Strategic Plan and approve recommendations for balancing the Special Library Parcel Tax budget. BACKGROUND: On June 18, 2012, Library staff presented a report to the City Council in a Study Session that outlined the financial difficulties facing the library due to a budget shortfall in the Special Library Parcel Tax (Measure C) budget, which constitutes 29% of the Library's overall budget. Staff presented budget projections for the remainder of the life of the tax, showing an over $500,000 cumulative shortfall at the end of fiscal year 2016/2017. Staff presented several theoretical options for balancing the budget and received Council permission to conduct a community needs assessment and strategic planning process for the Library, and to return to Council with a recommendation for balancing the budget, as well as a strategic plan to guide the Library's priorities for the next five years. Library staff completed a community needs assessment survey, reviewed library collection and service use, reviewed San Rafael demographic data, and engaged in discussions with our stakeholder groups (including the Library Board of Trustees, Friends of the Library, Library Foundation, and Special Library Parcel Tax Committee). Library staff held a day -long strategic planning retreat as well, in which all staff reviewed data and made suggestions for priorities and changes. The entire strategic planning process yielded these trends: 1) Many In San Rafael Use the Library: Of the random sample of people we surveyed in front of supermarkets for our survey, 69% had visited one of our libraries in the past year while 58% had used our online services. 2) People are Using the Library More Than Before: Over the last year, checkouts of physical materials (books, books on CD, DVDs, CDs, etc.) increased 3%, the number of research questions we answered increased 7%, adult program attendance increased 36%, children's program attendance increased 17%, and use of digital resources (eBooks, online magazines, etc.) increased by more than 100%. FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Council Meeting: 1.7 Disposition: SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Pale: 2 3) People Like the Library: In our survey, our community rated San Rafael Public Library services an average 8.5 out of 10. 4) Computer and Technology Demand Increases: Public computer use continues to increase (an 11 % jump over the past year) to the point where all of our computers are now utilized nearly all of the time that we are open. People asked for more up-to-date and improved hardware and software, as well as better network speeds in our libraries. 5) Impact of Unsatisfactory Facilities: The community feels our Pickleweed Library is far too small and our Downtown Library is too small, run-down, old, and shabby—leading to a slight decrease in physical visits to both facilities. 28% of those surveyed cited these facilities issues as a reason for not using the library's physical services. 6) Impact of Homelessness: The increased presence in the Downtown Library of the homeless population has resulted in an increased workload and stress for staff, as well as a negative perception by the public and a resistance to using the facility. 14% of those surveyed cited being uneasy about some of the library's clientele, particularly those with mental illness and substance abuse issues, as a reason for not using the library. The Police Department has stepped up foot patrols through the Downtown Library already, which we are seeing have a positive effect on some of the more common undesirable behaviors. 7) Foot Traffic Decreasing: Even though use of library services themselves is up, the number of actual foot traffic in our libraries has decreased over the past year (3% decrease at Downtown and 11 % decrease at Pickleweed). This means some people have stopped coming to the library to read, use their computers, study, and meet (metrics we do not capture). Instead, they come to check out a book or attend a program, and then they leave. We believe we've seen a greater decrease at Pickleweed because most of the Library's events are now held outside of the library proper whereas they used to be held inside the library. Groups became so large that we now usually hold our events in other parts of the Community Center. In order to attend these larger events, one needn't set foot in the library—thereby decreasing foot traffic in the library. 8) Times of Low Use: Downtown Library use drops off significantly starting at 7pm. Also, while Sunday hours are the least busy Downtown, we see a significantly more diverse population of users on this day compared to others. The Pickleweed Library sees the opposite pattern – it is slower during the first open hour or two and then is consistently busy until closing at 8pm. 9) Rental Fees: Many users complained as a write-in comment to our survey that we are the only library in Marin (in fact, one of the last few in the country) charging for DVDs and Books on CD. 10) Canal Neighborhood Needs: The vast difference in income, education, and literacy between the Canal and other neighborhoods in San Rafael strengthens our belief in the critical need for the Pickleweed Library to maintain its hours and services. 11) Lack of Awareness of Services: The community largely does not understand what the Library has to offer them and often pay for resources and services they could obtain for free through the Library. This is particularly true for users 30 and under. 12) Funding is Low: San Rafael's libraries are funded at a lower level per capita not only than all other public libraries in Marin County, but also as compared to the vast majority of similarly sized libraries in comparable communities in California. 13) Service Priorities: The community ranked its top five priorities for library services: clean and safe facilities, a solid collection of books and media, computers, laptop work areas with power and wifi, and comfortable seating. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Pa2e: 3 14) Funding Priorities: The community ranked its priorities for fs.nding in order as follows: boy ks and media, open hours, technology, improving current facilities, outreach efforts, and saving to build a new library. ANALYSIS: Based on the trends above, the Library, with the support of other City staff, created a 2013- 2017 Strategic Plan (See Attachment A) with the assistance of our stakeholder groups. The Strategic Plan offers five Strategic Priorities. Each of these priorities has several supporting goals that we will work toward to help us address these priorities. The five Strategic Priorities are: 1) Provide collections and services that provide value to our community. 2) Provide a welcoming environment, physically and virtually. 3) Perform forward -thinking marketing and outreach in the community. 4) Establish an improved infrastructure for current and future technologies. 5) Be a learning organization for both customers and staff. Below are the staff's recommendations on immediate actions to take in addition to implementation of the Library's 2013-2017 Strategic Plan. 1) Reduce open hours Downtown by 4 per week: Staff recommends closing the Downtown Library at 8pm instead of 9pm Monday through Thursday due to low usage, resulting in an estimated extra -hire staff savings of $27,000/year from the Parcel Tax budget. We have an average of 13 staff/patron interactions per hour from 8-9pm (significantly lower than the average 25 interactions from 7-8pm or the 35 interactions from 6-7pm, our two other slowest hours). We feel that closing this one hour four days per week will have minimal community impact. In addition, this will bring us in line with the Pickleweed Library's closing time. 2) Fill Assistant Library Director position: Staff recommends filling the Assistant Library Director position for the purposes of project management and staff support for the Strategic Plan, adequate organizational oversight, and succession planning. This position is partially funded through the Parcel Tax budget ($38,764) and partially funded through the General Fund ($90,450). The position's funding is already allocated in both budgets. As the position has been held vacant for more than a year, we have enjoyed salary savings as a result but to the organization's detriment. This position would provide a second management -level person in the department (providing back-up and succession planning). The position would also be responsible for implementing and managing most of the projects and goals listed in the Library's strategic plan, including a significant role in the library's technology improvements, classes and programs, outreach efforts to schools and businesses, and much-needed digital library improvements. If this position remains unfilled, at least half of the goals in the strategic plan become unattainable due to a lack of staff time and project support. 3) Utilize Parcel Tax (Measure C) Capital Set -Aside Funds for operational expenses: In response to the priorities for open hours and materials stated by the community in response to our needs assessment survey, staff recommends the City Council authorize the use of the previously budgeted $1,000,000 Capital Set -Aside fund for operational expenses, reducing it to a minimum of $500,000. However, through additional staffing efficiencies, we hope to be able to retain more than $500,000 of the fund if at all possible. To this end, we will continue to update the Measure C Committee on expenditures and savings annually. 4) Explore staffing efficiencies for other potential savings and reprioritization of work: The Library Director will work with supervising staff at the Downtown Library to pilot service desk staffing reductions during open hours at the Downtown Library for one month. "Single staffing" of service desks (having one person at the service desk instead of two) is the industry standard in libraries today. Currently, we staff each of our three service desks at the Downtown Library with two people during most open hours. In comparing the number of user SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Pa2e: 4 interactions and staffing levels at our library to other similarly -sized libraries in t�',�!ifornia, we found the majority are staffing desks at half or less than our current staffing model. This has freed their staff up to do other important tasks such as outreach to schools, putting on cultural and educational programming, book ordering and reviewing, technology projects, training, and professional development. Such a change at the Downtown Library would likely result in service level reductions at the Circulation, Children's, and Adult desks such as: longer lines, inability to answer lengthier research questions, inability to provide technical support or assistance for computer questions, and inability to regularly walk through the facility to monitor activities and offer assistance as needed. This pilot project would help us explore the potential for extra -hire staff savings and/or regular -hire staff redeployment to high priority projects from the Strategic Plan. Some of these proposed changes affect labor agreements and Library staff will work with the Human Resources Department and affected bargaining unit(s) to follow the Meyers Milias Brown Act to address any issues as necessary. 5) Eliminate rental fees: Staff recommends eliminating DVD and Books -on -CD rental fees in concordance with the American Library Association's Code of Ethics that demands "equitable access" to library materials and services. By charging for some formats and not others we are potentially discriminating against users with particular preferences or abilities for learning and reading. The Library wishes to discontinue this practice immediately. Eliminating rental fees will also align SRPL practices with those of all other MARINet partner libraries (and the vast majority of libraries in the country). It will also encourage additional use of the self -check machines instead of staff -reliant interactions. Currently these items are in locked security cases and require users to pay $2 per rental in cash to staff at the time of check-out. Removing the cases and the charge will allow for increased self -check-out. DVD and Books on CD rental fees/cases are the most common reason for users not being able to use self - checks in a recent week-long study at the Circulation Desk. This will result in a reduced revenue stream of approximately $30,000 per year but free Circulation staff up to perform other high priority tasks. FISCAL IMPACT: The above steps result in the following fiscal impact: • A reduction in the Measure C Capital Set -Aside Fund from $1,000,000 to a minimum of $500,000 (hopefully we would be able to maintain more). Funds have been appropriated in the Special Library Parcel Tax Fund for the Capital Set -Aside, and we ask that they be redirected to operating expenses within the same Fund. • A reduction in the Measure C -funded Extra Hire staffing budget by $27,000 per year). • An increase in the General Fund budget for AudioNideo materials from $20 to $30,020 per year. Funds are available in and will be appropriated in the General fund for this proposed expenditure. A budget spreadsheet showing 2 years of actual expenditures in the Parcel Tax budget is attached (See Attachment B). A budget spreadsheet showing the effect of staff recommendations on the Parcel Tax budget is also attached (Attachment C). Finally, a combined General Fund / Parcel Tax budget spreadsheet is attached showing all of the above fiscal impacts (Attachment D). OPTIONS: Staff recommends Option 1. 1. Option 1: Approve the Library's 2013-2017 Strategic Plan. Reduce hours at the Downtown Library by 4 per week (closing at Bpm instead of Spm Monday -Thursday). Fill the Assistant Library Director position. Explore additional staffing efficiencies. Eliminate rental fees on DVDs and Books -on -CD. Utilize Parcel Tax Capital Set -Aside Funds for operational expenses down to a minimum total reserve of $500,000. 2. Option 2: Request Library staff to re -work Strategic Plan. Reduce hours at the Downtown Library by 6 per week. Reduce hours at the Pickleweed Library by 4 per week. Reduce books, periodicals, and digital resources funding by 26%. Fill the Assistant Library Director position. Utilize Parcel Tax Capital Set -Aside Funds for operational expenses down to a minimum total reserve of $750,000. SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Paye: 5 3, Option 3: Request Library staff o re -work Strategic P"an. Reduce hours at the Downtown Library by 6 per week. Reduce hours at the Pickleweed Library by 4 per week. Reduce books, periodicals, and digital resources funding by 43%. Keep the Assistant Director position vacant permanently. Maintain the Capital Set -Aside Funds at $1,000,000. ACTION REQUIRED: Staff recommends that the City Council approve the Library's 2013-2017 Strategic Plan and recommendations for balancing the Special Library Parcel Tax budget. Encls. Attachment A — Library 2013-2017 Strategic Plan Attachment B — 2 years of actual expenditures in the Parcel Tax budget Attachment C — Parcel Tax budget showing effect of staff recommendations Attachment D — Combined General Fund/Parcel Tax budget showing effect of staff recommendations Attachment A San Rafael Public Library 2013-2017 STRATEGIC PLAN FROM THE DIRECTOR The people of San Rafael are the heart of our organization. For our community, the San Rafael Public Library is a place of learning, experimentation, and discovery. The idea of a library is morphing from a place of books to a place where the community connects with information and creates content. As our library evolves over the next several years, we will write the next chapter of our adventure. We will work together with our community to build a 21't century organization. A successful implementation of this strategic plan will result in a more modern library integrated into and fully supported by the community. -Sarah Houghton VALUES We are guided by these shared values in everything we do: • Passion for service to our community • Eagerness to learn and share • Optimistic attitude that anything is possible • Compassion for our customers and for each other STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS In 2012, we undertook a strategic planning process that included a community needs assessment survey, reviewing library collection and service use and * demographic data, and discussions with our stakeholder groups and staff. This plan is the result of those efforts. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES Over the next five years, the Library will focus on five primary areas of service improvement. Each of these priorities has several supporting goals that we will work toward to help us address these priorities. 1. Provide collections and services that provide value to our community. 2. Provide a welcoming environment, physically and virtually. 3. Perform forward -thinking marketing and outreach in the community. 4. Establish an improved infrastructure for current and future technologies. 5. Be a learning organization for both customers and staff. IMPLEMENTATION Implementation of the various goals for each strategic initiative will roll out over the course of five years, with high priority items taking precedence. Specific projects and tasks to help us achieve our goals will be developed by staff on an ongoing and flexible basis. Implementation steps for this Plan will be incorporated into the Departmental Goals and Objectives which are reviewed with the City Manager every six months. PROVIDE COLLECTIONS AND SERVICES THAT PROVIDE VALUE TO OUR COMMUNITY. 1. Evaluate usage statistics and community feedback regarding collections and services. 2. Create and refine a responsive Collection Development Policy to guide decision-making. 3. Eliminate DVD and Books -on -CD rental fees to align with other MARINet libraries. 4. Expand programming for our currently under -served populations (20s -40s adults, teens, tweens, Spanish -speakers). 5. Expand programming and services for small businesses and telecommuters. 6. Increase digital programming (webinars, recordings of live events). 7. Pursue and support multilingual staff. PROVIDE A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, PHYSICALLY AND VIRTUALLY, 1. Provide training for staff on safety, customer service, and outreach. 2. Explore the possibility of opening a caf6 or caf6 cart at the Downtown Library. 3. Improve landscaping, furniture, flooring, and signage for both libraries. 4. Work with the Library Foundation and City management toward building a. new Downtown Library. 5. Increase community artwork in both libraries (mini art galleries, community involvement in decorating, murals). 6. Complete and launch a new, streamlined website. 7. Increase use of social media to improve the Library's virtual presence. N . N . N . & . IV . It . * . X . N . 11 . I . * . It . A . PERFORM FORWARD-TH INKING MARKETING AND OUTREACH IN THE COMMUNITY. 1. Develop and implement a Library awareness marketing campaign and advocacy program. 2. Continue to partner with the Board of Trustees, Friends of the Library, and Library Foundation to broaden community support for the library, including working toward renewing the •- Library Parcel Tax. 3. Work with local authors, artists, and specialists to contribute to the Library. experience. 4. Increase partnerships with community organizations. 5. Ensure that the number and diversity of volunteers remains high. 6. Deploy staff to spend more time outside the libraries reaching out to our community. 7. Increase outreach efforts to and partnerships with San Rafael schools. . 4 . ■ . 0 . a . 0 . * . N . & . It . 0 . It . * . * . It . ESTABLISH AN IMPROVED INFRASTRUCTURE FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE TECHNOLOGIES. 1. Improve public -computer services to include current versions of popular software, hardware, and faster network speed. 2. Expand technology offerings for the public to support content creation, such as music, writing, video, artwork, and other forms of expression. 3. Reexamine access to public computers and other technology to serve as many community members as possible. 4. Increase e -content collection with sustainable, open, accessible content. 5. Increase staff accessibility via multiple communication media such as IM, email, video chat, etc. 6. Promote technology literacy by providing access to a technology petting zoo/display table of devices and loaning devices to the public. 7. Educate the public in the use of self -check machines and web -accessible self-service options. a . V . a . IN . A . 8 . & . 8 . if . * . 0 . a . * . 19 . BE A LEARNING ORGANIZATION FOR BOTH CUSTOMERS AND STAFF. 1. Expand programming focused on technology skills acquisition and professional development. 2. Expand programming for all ages to prepare our community for participation in a knowledge-based economy. 3. Provide staff with an opportunity in their daily work schedules to explore creative ideas and endeavors. 4. Employ a meaningful departmental employee performance review process based on job competencies and with continuous year-round follow-up. 5. Create a rewards program that recognizes creative ideas among staff. 6. 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SRCC AGENDA ITEM NO. 5.b DATE OF MEETING: 12/17/2012 FROM: Sarah Houghton DEPARTMENT: Library DATE: 12/10/12 TITLE OF DOCUMENT: Report and Recommendation regarding Acceptance of the Library 2013-2017 Strategic Plan and Approval of the Special Library Parcel Tax budget See Attachments: A) Library Strategic Plan 2013-2017 B) Special Library Parcel Tax Budget - Full 7 Years with 2 Years Actual Expenditures C) Special Library Parcel Tax Budget - Full 7 Years with Recommended Changes D) Combined General Fund and Special Library Parcel Tax Budget 2013/2014 - with Recommended Changes Department Heacr(signature) (LOWER HALF OF FORM FOR APPROVALS ONLY) APPROVED AS COUNCIL / AGENCY AGENDA ITEM: City Manager (sidnature) F-11 :101TA 0 bxffitz 011111101:91 kyj City Attorney (signature)