SR-850-002 (4)
Santa
Monica, calif4l5ia,
$'S-O- CJOZ
August 10, 1978
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TO:
Mayor and City Council
FRO}l:
City Staff
AUG 2 2 1978
SUBJECT:
City Partlcipation in the California Library Serv~ces Act
Introduction
Tbis report transllilts a recommendation tbat the City of Santa
Mon~ca participate in the programs of the California Library Services
Act.
Background
The California Library Services Act of 1977 (Education Code Title 1,
Divis~on 1, Part 11, Chapter 4) provides fundlng for varlOUS programs
in California publlc libraries.
It replaces the previous Public Li-
brary Services Act of 196), which provlded per capita grants to public
library systems.
Among the programs to be funded by the Act are:
1. System Reference SerVlce
2. Interllbrary Leans between library Jurisdictions
3. Equal Access, whereby each member of a cooperative library
system extends its services and direct loan privileges to
the eliglble borrowers of all member librarles wltbin the
system; and
4. Universal Borrowing, whereby each public library who wishes
to may extend its direct loan privileges to the eligible
borrowers of all other public librarles in the state.
With the exception of universal borrowing, Santa Monica is
already participating ~n three of tbe above-named programs. The
library has been borrowing and lending materials on interlibrary
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AUG 2 2 1978
"J\'layor and City counc.
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August 10, 1978
loan for a number of years. By virtue of the City's membership in
the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System, the llbrary has been
participating 1n equal access and system reference services since
1969. These activities have been made mandatory for libraries wishing
to participate in the Act and receive reimbursement.
Partlcipatlon lU
universal borrowlng, on the other hand, is strictly voluntary.
In addition, funds are available for which libraries can apply
to serve any population segment In the1r community wlth specialized
service needs. The Act includes in these "underserved" groups such
persons as the lIeconomically disadvantaged, functionally illiterate,
of non or lJ..mited English-speaking abillty, shut-in, institutionalized,
or handicapped."
The programs of the Act are adminlstered by the California
Library Services Board, which was formed pursuant to another provis1on
of the Act. The Board has the authority to adopt rules and regulations
for the implementation of the legislation and directs the State Li-
brarian in the admluistration of the legislation.
The law requires each Jurisdiction to flle notice with the
California Library Services Board authorizing 1tS public library to
participate in the programs of the Act and its head librarian to apply
annually for and accept funds under the Act.
In additlon, the head librarian must certify that the library is
following the provisions of the Act.
If at some future date the library is not in compliance with the
Act, it is also the responsibility of the librar1an to notify the
Board.
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}1Mayor and City counc.
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August 10, 1978
Impact on S~~ta Monica
The major e~fect Cali~ornia Library Services Act participation
will have on Santa Jl0nica 1S to permit the City's continued participa-
tion 1n the ~etropolitan Cooperative Library System.
System membership
has benefited the City in several ways:
1. The collections of the member libraries, WhlCh now number 25,
have been made available to Santa ~onica cardholders through
System interlibrary loan or directly through equal access.
2. The sharing of the collections of member 11braries has saved
the City approxlmately $9,000 each year in books, films, and
recordings this library was able to borrow for our users in-
stead of purchase.
Resource-sharing is a feature of System
membership that will increase 1n importance as local govern-
rnent budgets shrink.
3. The System has provided in-service training for both the
professional and clerical staff that has sharpened their
skills in such areas as basic and specialized reference ser-
vices, dealing effectively with the public, communicating
with the deaf and hearing impaired, children's services, and
library automation_
4. The System has provided the library with additional funds for
the purchase of reference materials and periodicals for use
by both the System and the library's users.
These materials
remain as a permanent part of the library's collection.
There is one program in the Act that could have a major impact
on Santa ~onica, and that 1S the optional Universal Borrowlng program.
Santa Monica's partic1pation in this program would mean that any person
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!Mayor and City coun~
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August la, 1978
with a valid library card from any public library in California would
be entitled to receive the same borrowing privileges and services that
the library presently provides excluslvely to Santa ~onica cardholders
and to cardholders from our fellow System member I1braries. We
anticipate that we would be heavily used by cardholders from adJoining
branch libraries that are in elther the Los ~~geles City or County
public library systems.
(Neither of these libraries are members of
the Metropolitan Cooperative Library System.)
Since these branch libraries are smaller in size, less adequately
staffed, and have much smaller collectlons than Santa Monica, we anti-
cipate a significant influx of library USers from the areas served by
these librarles.
This could lead to an overcrowding of Santa ~onica's
library fac~lit~es, increased workloads on our staff, and ~ncreased
losses of our materlals.
Even though the library would be reimbursed
for the net imbalance of loans made to non-residents over what Santa
Monlca residents borrowed from other libraries, the proposed reimburse-
ment rate of 406 per net loan would be insuff~cient to cover the actual
added costs represented by these users.
We would also be required to
drop our charge for a non-resident library card.
There is also ser~ous question whether the program is funded at
sufficient levels for the first year to reimburse part~cipating li-
braries fully.
The final amount to be reimbursed has not yet been
decided by the California Library Servlces Board.
Due to these factors, we advise that Santa Mon~ca not part~cipate
in universal borrowing at least for a year, or until a more accurate
assessment can be made of the effects of universal borrow~ng on li-
brary service patterns.
Santa Monica cardholders will not be barred
from using their Santa Monica card in any library participating in
I
M~yor and City coun~
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August 10, 1978
~_.
universal borrowing.
Recommendf::l t ~on
Staff recommends that tbe City Council authorize the Santa Monica
Public Library to participate 1n the programs of' the California Library
Services Act, with the exception of Universal Borrowing.
Staf'f' further
recommends that the City Council authorize the C1ty Librarian to apply
for and accept f'unds annually under the California Library Serv1ces
Act.
Prepared by:
Carol A. Aronoff'
CAA:cz